An Evaluation of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in a group of 4-7 year-old children with cleft lip and palate.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is the most common congenital craniofacial abnormality. The interventions' intensity and psychosocial burden of the cleft may have a lasting impact on the child. The aim of this study was to assess the psychosocial functioning of 4 to 7-year-old children with non-syndromic CLP.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) was assessed using the revised German KINDL HRQoL questionnaire, a five-point, 24-Likert-item questionnaire covering six domains (physical well-being, emotional well-being, self-esteem, family life, friends and school). The total score is the sum of all item scores. In addition, a chronic generic module consisting of six items, and a specific parent module consisting of 22 items have been added to the core KINDL questionnaire. Higher scores indicate better HRQoL. All the parents of 4 to 7-year-old children with non-syndromic CLP treated at the interdisciplinary CLP center at Cologne University Hospital were invited to participate in the study.

RESULTS

A total of 74 families were contacted, 61 of whom agreed to study participation (82% response). The 61 children (32 boys and 29 girls) had a mean age of 5.39 years. The mean values for the total scale were slightly lower for children with CLP, but when compared, CLP and non-CLP children revealed no statistically significant difference in HRQoL levels.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that 4 to 7-year-old children with CLP do not appear to experience major psychosocial problems when compared with their non-CLP peers.