Health-related quality of life in children with chronic diseases at Thammasat University Hospital.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to examine the level of health related quality of life in pediatric patients with common chronic diseases who sought care at Thammasat University Hospital.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Cross sectional study in 134 patients aged 2-18, who visited department of pediatrics at Thammasat University Hospital were performed. Health related quality of life was evaluated using Thai version of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL 4.0). For children aged 2-4 and 5-18, the questionnaire was answered by their guardians and by themselves and their guardians, respectively. The present study evaluated health related quality of life in four aspects: physical, emotional, social and school functioning. Points were then pooled and divided into three categories, namely total, physical health summary and psychosocial health summary scale scores. Each category could have a maximum score of 100.

RESULTS

The mean total scale score from the questionnaire answering by guardians was highest in allergic rhinitis (77.6 +/- 12.1). Physical and psychosocial scale scores were 81.7 +/- 16.8 and 75.4 +/- 12.5. Total scale scores in asthma, chronic renal diseases, leukemia and lymphoma, and congenital heart defects were 73.8 +/- 14.7, 73.5 +/- 18.9, 64.5 +/- 14.0 and 76.2 +/- 19.6, respectively Cerebral palsy had the lowest total scale score of 27.1 +/- 16.7 with physical and psychosocial scale scores of 16.9 +/- 7.5 and 33.0 +/- 23.2, respectively. When patients answered the questionnaire by themselves, it was found that allergic rhinitis had the highest total scale score (79.5 +/- 13.2). Total scale scores in asthma, chronic renal diseases, leukemia and lymphoma, and heart diseases were 75.2 +/- 16.4, 76.3 +/- 16.2, 70.5 +/- 9.4 and 72.4 +/- 22.7, respectively. Cerebral palsy had the lowest scale scores in all categories, with total scale score of 46.1 +/- 14.6, physical scale score of 23.4 +/- 6.6 and psychosocial scale score of 58.3 +/- 18.8.

CONCLUSION

Among chronic diseases, cerebral palsy has the lowest health related quality of life scale scores in all categories, namely total, physical and psychosocial health summary.