The Quality of Life of Children with Myelomeningocele: A Cross-Sectional Preliminary Study

Autor: Anna Rozensztrauch, Maciej Bagłaj, Magdalena Iwańska
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 18, Iss 10756, p 10756 (2021)
Volume 18
Issue 20
ISSN: 1660-4601
Popis: Objectives: To investigate the relationship between the defects and symptoms caused by myelomeningocele (MMC) and quality of life. Design: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Methods: The subjects were 52 parents of children with MMC. Structured questionnaires were used: the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQLTM 4.0) and a Study-Specific Questionnaire (SSQ). Results: The overall PedsQLTM 4.0 score was 56.4 (SD ± 14.7). A strong, significant negative correlation was found between the children’s age and emotional functioning. Functioning in this area deteriorated with age by a mean of 1.5 points per year of age. Children with no hydrocephalus functioned significantly better than those with this defect in the physical, social, and school areas (p <
0.05). Foot deformities significantly (p = 0.033) adversely affected the children’s physical functioning. Living in a single-parent family had no statistically significant impact on functioning in any of the areas analyzed (p >
0.05). Conclusion: Understanding the QoL of children with MMC and identifying its determinants may help in planning interventions to minimize the adverse impact of the illness.
Databáze: OpenAIRE