Quality of life in children with cancer

• Autor(es): Batalha, Luís Manuel da Cunha ; Fernandes, Ananda Maria ; Campos, Diana Catarina Ferreira de
• Data: 2018
• Origem: Repositório Científico da Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra
• Assunto(s): Child; Cancer; Nursing; Quality of life
• Tipo de Documento: Outro
• Idioma: Inglês

Descrição

Most children with cancer survive due to aggressive treatments. The challenge for healthcare professionals is to ensure quality of life for these children and their families. What are the priority nursing care areas aimed at improving the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of these children and what factors may influence them? The objectives of this study were to describe the HRQoL of children with cancer, identify priority nursing care areas, and identify factors that influence the HRQoL of these children. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in children aged 8 to 17 years with cancer who were admitted to two Portuguese pediatric cancer units. HRQoL was assessed using the self-report version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL)TM 3.0 Cancer Module. Mean scores, standard deviations, and Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated and the Mann-Whitney U test for independent samples was used. Overall, children's perceived HRQoL was 66.0±13.3. The highest scores were found in the subscales Perceived Physical Appearance (79.0±21.2) and Treatment Anxiety (79.0±27.2), while the lowest score was found in the subscale Worry (39.2±28.1). Children's perceived HRQoL was not influenced by variables related to their age, gender, type of tumor, time of diagnosis, and number of hospital admissions. The children in this study had a lower perception of HRQoL than those in other studies. The lower score were found in the subscale Worry, which indicates the need for more information and support in this area. Although the variables under analysis did not influence children's perceived HRQoL, further studies should be conducted to clarify the influence of these factors and others.