Toro-Pérez D, Limonero JT, Guillen M, Bolancé C, Vilarrubí SN, Camprodon-Rosanas E. Evaluating quality of life in pediatric palliative care: a cross-sectional analysis of children's and parents' perspectives.
Eur J Pediatr 2024;
183:1305-1314. [PMID:
38112799 PMCID:
PMC10951001 DOI:
10.1007/s00431-023-05330-4]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The patient's perspective is an essential component of understanding the individual experience of suffering in children with palliative needs, but it is a perspective that is often overlooked. The aim of this study was to compare the perception of quality of life (QoL) of children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions expressed by the children themselves and their parents. Through a cross-sectional study, the responses of 44 parent-child dyads were obtained and the analysis was performed with the statistics based on Student's t distribution and non-parametric tests. Children value QoL more positively (mean = 6.95, SD = 1.85) than their parents (mean = 5.39, SD = 2.43). This difference exists even if we consider sociodemographic and disease variables. The presence of exacerbated symptoms is the situation in which both parents (mean = 3.70; SD = 1.95) and children (mean = 5.60; SD = 1.17) evaluate QoL more negatively.
CONCLUSIONS
Children have a more optimistic view than their parents. When the child is the one who reports a lower QoL score than their parent, the child should be carefully monitored. The voice of the child and that of the family members can be collected to create a "family voice" and can be complementary.
WHAT IS KNOWN
• Children with life-limiting conditions experience multiple and changing symptoms that affect their QoL. • The child's perspective is often overlooked.
WHAT IS NEW
• Children value QoL more positively than their parents do, even if we control for sociodemographic variables and the disease itself. • When the child is the one who reports a lower QoL score than their parent, the child should be carefully monitored.
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