[How are Effects of Patient Education Programs Influenced by Psychosocial Risk Factors in Pediatrics?].

BACKGROUND

Modular patient education programs are effective in children with chronic conditions and their families. Little is known about the influence of socioeconomic status (SES), migration background (MB) and children's mental-health problems on the programs' effects.

OBJECTIVES

Do SES, MB or mental-health problems influence the success of education programs (disease-specific knowledge, children's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and life satisfaction and parents' condition-specific burden)?

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Children with different chronic conditions and their parents participated in modular patient education programs. Before and 6 weeks after the participation SES, MB, children's mental-health problems, parents' und children's disease-specific knowledge, children's HRQoL and life satisfaction and parents' condition-specific burden were assessed by standardized questionnaires. The influence on the programs' effects of SoS, MH and mental-health problems were examined with variance and correlation analyses.

RESULTS

398 children (mean age 10.2 yrs) and their parents participated. Irrespective of SoS, MH and mental-health problems the programs were associated with improved disease-specific knowledge, children's HRQoL and life satisfaction and parents' disease-specific burden. At follow-up SoS, MH and mental-health problems were associated with reduced knowledge, reduced children's' HRQoL and life satisfaction and increased parents' disease-specific burden.

CONCLUSIONS

Disadvantaged families and children with mental-health problems benefit from education programs, but have an increased need of education due to special challenges.