Factors associated with quality of life among married women in rural China: a cross-sectional study

Effect of resilience on quality of life and anxiety in patients with breast cancer

BACKGROUND

The incidence of breast cancer is high, with serious implications in terms of lives and health. Relevant data show that there are approximately 1 million new cases of breast cancer reported annually, with a rising trend. Some patients have poor treatment effects and are prone to anxiety and other negative emotions, which affect their quality of life (QoL).

AIM

To explore the correlation between mental resilience, QoL, and anxiety in patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

Using convenience sampling, 200 patients with breast cancer were selected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University. These patients were investigated using the Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire to analyze the impact of resilience in patients with breast cancer on their QoL and anxiety.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) mental resilience score of the patients with breast cancer was 59.68 (± 9.84) points, the anxiety score was 49.87 (± 8.26) points, and the QoL score was 59.73 (± 8.29) points. Overall, they showed low mental resilience, mild anxiety, and medium QoL. Anxiety was negatively correlated with mental resilience and QoL (r = -0.275, r = -0.289, P < 0.05). QoL was positively correlated with mental resilience (r = 0.513, P < 0.05). Anxiety was a mediating variable between mental resilience and QoL, accounting for 8.58% of the mediating effect.

CONCLUSION

Regarding psychological elasticity, anxiety plays an intermediary role in QoL among patients with breast cancer. Medical staff can improve patients' mental resilience by reducing their anxiety and improving their QoL.

Effect of Marital Status on Women's Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study of Urban Women in Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu

Background Quality of life (QoL), as defined by the World Health Organization, is a subjective evaluation influenced by cultural and environmental factors. It is a complex, multidimensional concept that encompasses various aspects of an individual's well-being. This study aimed to understand how marital status affects the QoL of women by comparing married and single women residing in the urban field practice area of a tertiary care Hospital. Methods This cross-sectional study includes 200 women, comprising 100 single and 100 married participants, aged 20-60 years. Data were collected using the WHO-QOL-BREF questionnaire, which assesses the following four domains of QoL: physical, psychological, social, and environmental. Demographic information was also gathered. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Version 25.0. Results Significant differences were found between single and married women in age distribution (p<0.0001), family type (p=0.002), presence of children (p=0.001), educational qualifications (p=0.02), and family income (p<0.0001). Married women reported higher median family incomes and better QoL scores in the social domain (p<0.0001), while single women were predominantly younger and more likely to live in nuclear families. No significant differences were observed in the physical, psychological, or environmental domains of QoL between the groups. Conclusion The study highlights the impact of marital status on various QoL aspects, with married women experiencing better social support and personal relationships. Despite this, the absence of significant disparities in other QoL domains suggests that marital status does not uniformly affect overall QoL.

How men with alcohol use disorder perceive communication, couple satisfaction, relational boredom, and quality of life compared to wives: Findings from a hospital-based study

In India, use of alcohol between 10 and 70 years is increasing significantly as per the Government of India, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. Chronic alcohol use in men can potentially disrupt their relationships with their wives in several ways, leading to poor communication, trust issues, emotional disconnection, physical abuse, financial strain, and neglecting responsibilities. These factors may reduce the quality of life of the couple and negatively impact the couple's overall well-being. This cross-sectional study assesses the communication, couple satisfaction, relational boredom, and quality of life of wives with alcoholic husbands admitted to inpatient psychiatry services (patients: n = 30; wives: n = 30). A social demographic data sheet, self-perceived communication in couples, couple satisfaction, relational boredom scale, and the World Health Organization's quality of life scales were used to collect data. All participants were chronic alcohol users and had used alcohol for over 10 years. The mean scores of couple satisfaction (p < .001) and quality of life were greater among husbands. In contrast, wives scored significantly higher in communication (p < .001) and relational boredom (p < .001) compared to husbands with alcohol use disorder. Furthermore, communication, couple satisfaction, relational boredom, and quality of life domains were negatively correlated (p < .001). In contrast, communication and relational boredom were positively correlated (p < .001). Men with alcohol use disorder perceived a satisfactory relationship and higher quality of life than did their wives.

Chitosan combined with intrauterine device prevents intrauterine adhesions after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis: A target trial emulation study

AIM

To compare the efficacy of chitosan and intrauterine device (IUD) combination with an IUD alone in patients with intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) who underwent hysteroscopic adhesiolysis.

METHODS

This retrospective study assessed 303 patients with moderate-to-severe IUA (American Fertility Society [AFS] score ≥5) who underwent hysteroscopic adhesiolysis between January 2018 and December 2020. Using observational data under a cohort design, we emulated a target trial with two treatment arms: chitosan plus IUD and IUD alone groups. Second-look hysteroscopy was performed in all patients 3 months after the initial hysteroscopy. The primary outcome was improved adhesion assessed using the AFS scoring system.

RESULTS

The baseline characteristics were balanced between the two groups. The second hysteroscopy revealed significantly better AFS scores in group A than in group B (values: 3 [1-4] vs. 4 [2-6], p < 0.001; change: 63% [50%-80%] vs. 44% [33%-67%], p < 0.001, respectively). Significantly better menstruation conditions (improved rate: 66% vs. 49%, p = 0.004) and endometrial thickness (mean: 7.0 mm vs. 6.0 mm, p < 0.001) were also observed in group A than in group B. Moreover, group A showed a significantly higher 1-year clinical pregnancy rate (40% vs. 28%, p = 0.037) and better quality of life (p < 0.001) than group B.

CONCLUSIONS

Chitosan and IUD combination showed better efficacy in reducing adhesions and improving clinical outcomes in patients with moderate-to-severe IUA after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis.

Urban-rural differences in epidemiology and risk factors of menopause syndrome in middle-aged Chinese women

OBJECTIVE

To compare the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and investigate their associated factors among rural and urban middle-aged Chinese women.

METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional study of 4,580 urban and 2,729 rural randomly sampled participants aged 40 to 55 years in Gansu Province, China, was conducted. Questionnaires assessing the sociodemographic information and menstrual and reproductive histories of the participants were administered. The modified Kupperman scale was used to assess the presence and severity of menopausal symptoms. Binary and ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the occurrence and severity of menopausal syndrome, respectively, according to the modified Kupperman Menopausal Index score rank.

RESULTS

The natural menopausal age of the rural women was significantly lower than that of the urban women (rural: 47.22, urban: 47.98; P < 0.05). Furthermore, rural women had a higher prevalence (rural: 56.35%, urban: 43.47%) and severity (rural: 11.40%, urban: 6.61%) of menopausal syndrome than the urban women ( P < 0.05). For both the urban and rural women, the prevalence and severity of most menopausal symptoms increased as menopause progressed. The three most prevalent symptoms in both the urban and rural women were fatigue (rural: 70.43%, urban: 68.19%), muscle/joint pain (rural: 62.84%, urban: 59.32%), and vertigo (rural: 57.42%, urban: 47.44%). Positive associations between menopausal symptoms and age, residence, body mass index, level of education, time of pregnancy, menstrual cycle, and presence of chronic diseases were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Rural women experience more frequent and severe menopausal syndrome than do urban women.

The association between micronutrient powder delivery patterns and caregiver feeding behaviors in rural China

Background

High adherence and proper usage of micronutrient powder (MNP) influence child nutritional outcomes, yet few studies explore the role of delivery patterns. This study explores the association between MNP delivery patterns and MNP feeding behaviors among Han and minority caregivers in rural Western China.

Methods

In August 2019, a total of 1021 caregiver-child pairs were selected through a four-stage cluster sampling process. A cross-sectional survey collected information on caregiver demographics, MNP delivery patterns (channel and frequency), and MNP feeding behaviors (proper usage and adherence). Using logistic regression, we examined which delivery channels and delivery frequencies were associated with proper usage and high adherence.

Results

The results indicated that minority caregivers had lower levels of proper MNP usage than did Han caregivers (89.2%), with Tibetan caregivers’ reporting the lowest rates of adherence (32.6%). Logistic regression revealed that that township-based channel was significantly correlated with proper usage among Tibetan and Yi caregivers (Odds Ratio, OR = 2.0, p < 0.01; and OR = 3.5, p < 0.001). Overall, the township-based and home-visit channels were significantly correlated with high adherence (OR = 1.7 and OR = 2.3, respectively; p < 0.001); delivery frequency was significantly correlated with high adherence (2 months: OR = 2.2, p < 0.001 and ≤ 1 month: OR = 3.5, p < 0.001) but not correlated with proper usage among the whole sample and individual ethnic groups.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the study finds evidence of a correlation between MNP delivery channel and both proper usage and high adherence as well as a correlation between MNP delivery frequency and high adherence.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13726-4.

Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Quality of Life Among Married Women Having a Distant Relationship With Their Spouses in Mangalore, India

Background: Married women having a distant relationship with their husbands are prone to mental disorders like somatic symptoms, eventually reducing their quality of life (QoL).

Objective: To assess the somatic symptoms and quality of life among married women having a distant relationship with their spouses.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018. Women having a distant relationship were selected using snowball sampling from selected urban areas of Mangalore, Karnataka. The Scale for Assessment of Somatic Symptoms (SASS) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL)-BREF questionnaire were used to assess somatic symptoms and quality of life, respectively. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the predictors of somatic symptoms and QoL.

Results: Out of 100 married women with a distant relationship, 83% experienced at least one symptom at a moderate/severe level, whereas the prevalence of somatic symptoms was 30% (at least one symptom at a severe level). Among these 30 women, the majority were in the age groups of 25-30 (32%) and 31-35 (30%). The somatic symptoms had a negative association with Christians (p<0.05), whereas they were positively associated with women living in nuclear families (p<0.05) and marriages of less than 3 years (p<0.05). Among the four domains of WHOQOL-BREF, the highest QoL was seen in the social domain (61.06 ± 18.58), the lowest was seen in the psychological domain (54.78 ± 13.05).

Conclusion: Women who have a distant relationship with their husbands manifest somatic symptoms which decrease their quality of life. This emphasizes the need to use different approaches during hospital visits and community-oriented programs to identify and improve mental health among married women and wellbeing in the family.

Interseções entre resiliência e qualidade de vida em mulheres rurais: estudo de métodos mistos

Resumo Objetivo: analisar as interseções entre qualidade de vida e resiliência de mulheres rurais. Método: estudo de métodos mistos convergente, no qual foram triangulados um estudo quantitativo de corte transversal e um estudo qualitativo guiado pela da história oral de vida. Os dados foram concomitantemente coletados utilizando-se de um formulário sociodemográfico, da Escala de Resiliência, do Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey e mediante entrevistas abertas. A análise deu-se por estatística descritiva e inferencial e análise temática indutiva, com posterior integração. Resultados: constatou-se associação entre o domínio aspectos sociais de qualidade de vida e o grau moderado de resiliência, relacionado às características do cotidiano rural. A integração dos resultados possibilitou reconhecer que a interseção entre os dois construtos, que se influenciam mutuamente, ocorre pela mediação de fatores de proteção para resiliência elaborados pelas mulheres rurais, como a espiritualidade, a formação de redes de apoio social e os sentimentos de encantamento e pertencimento ao seu contexto. Conclusão: a partir da elaboração de fatores de proteção, as mulheres rurais desencadeiam atitudes resilientes que contribuem para sua qualidade de vida. A identificação desses fatores permite o desenvolvimento de intervenções psicossociais que podem contribuir para a promoção da saúde da mulher rural.

Intersections between rural women’s resilience and quality of life: a mixed-methods study

Objective:

to analyze the intersections between rural women’s quality of life and resilience.

Method:

convergent mixed methods design in which a cross-sectional quantitative study is triangulated with a qualitative study guided by Oral History. Data were collected concomitantly, using a socio-demographic form, Resilience Scale, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and open-ended interviews. The analysis was based on descriptive and inferential statistics and inductive thematic analysis, which was integrated later.

Results:

an association was found between the social aspects domain of quality of life and a moderate level of resilience related to the characteristics of life in rural areas. The integration of results enabled verifying that these two constructs (which mutually influence each other) are mediated by protective factors, resilience developed by the rural women, such as spirituality and the formation of social support, enchantment, and a feeling of belonging to their context.

Conclusion:

by developing protective factors, rural women develop a resilient behavior that favors their quality of life. Identifying these factors enables the development of psychosocial interventions to promote rural women’s health.

Intersecciones entre resiliencia y calidad de vida en mujeres rurales: estudio de métodos mixtos

Resumen Objetivo: analizar las intersecciones entre calidad de vida y resiliencia en mujeres rurales. Método: estudio de métodos mixtos convergentes, en el que fueron triangulados un estudio cuantitativo de corte transversal y un estudio cualitativo guiado por la historia oral de vida. Los datos fueron concomitantemente recolectados utilizando formulario: sociodemográfico de la Escala de Resiliencia y del Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey; y, mediante entrevistas abiertas. El análisis se realizó con la estadística descriptiva e inferencial, y con el análisis temático inductivo, con posterior integración. Resultados: se constató asociación entre el dominio aspectos sociales de calidad de vida y el grado moderado de resiliencia, relacionado con las características de lo cotidiano rural. La integración de los resultados posibilitó reconocer que la intersección entre los dos constructos, que se influencian mutuamente, ocurre por la mediación de factores de protección para la resiliencia, elaborados por las mujeres rurales, como la espiritualidad, la formación de redes de apoyo social, y los sentimientos de encantamiento y pertenencia a su contexto. Conclusión: a partir de la elaboración de factores de protección, las mujeres rurales desencadenan actitudes resilientes que contribuyen para su calidad de vida. La identificación de esos factores permite el desarrollo de intervenciones psicosociales que pueden contribuir para la promoción de la salud de la mujer rural.

General self-efficacy and social support as mediators of the association between perceived stress and quality of life among rural women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus

To explore the association between perceived stress and quality of life (QoL) and the mediating role of general self-efficacy and social support in this association. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common metabolic diseases suffered by pregnant women. Women with previous GDM may experience more medical-related stress and have a lower QoL than those without it. A multisite correlational study. Four hundred sixty-five women with previous GDM living in rural areas in China participated in this study from November 2017 to June 2019. The participants completed a set of self-reported socio-demographic questionnaires, the Perceived Stress Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Social Support Rating Scale and the World Health Organization QoL assessment (Brief version). STROBE checklist was used as the guideline for this study. The mean QoL score was 13.97 (SD 2.07) for physical health, 13.75 (SD 1.98) for psychological health, 14.96 (SD 1.99) for social relations and 12.49 (SD 1.74) for environmental conditions. About 43.9% of women with previous GDM reported increased stress, which was negatively correlated with each of these QoL domains. Yet, the negative effect of perceived stress on QoL could be completely or partly mediated by better social support or general self-efficacy among this population. Nearly half of the women in the study living in rural China reported increased stress after delivery, and there is room to improve QoL in the environmental domain among women with previous GDM. Increasing general self-efficacy or social support can help these women avoid the negative effects of perceived stress on their QoL. These findings suggest that healthcare providers need to be cognizant of the importance of self-efficacy and social support for women with previous GDM in both enhancing QoL and reducing the negative impact of perceived stress on QoL.

Income Inequality in Quality of Life among Rural Communities in Malaysia: A Case for Immediate Policy Consideration

Quality of life (QOL) is a proxy of health and social well-being. Hence, it is vital to assess QOL as it informs the strategies of policymakers to enhance the living conditions in communities. Rural areas in emerging economies are underserved in terms of modern facilities and technologies, which impact QOL. To address this, this study investigated whether income played a role in the QOL of rural residents within emerging economies using a large survey of Malaysian adults above 18 years old. The study extracted data from a sample of 18,607 respondents of a health and demographic surveillance system survey. A generalized linear model was used to estimate the impact of three income groups, the bottom 40%, middle 40% and top 20%, on perceived QOL, controlling for sociodemographic, chronic disease co-morbidities and mental health status. Results of the study showed a statistically significant association between income and the physical, psychological, social and environmental QOL domains. Using the bottom 40% as a reference category, the middle 40% and top 20% income groups showed a significant and positive association across the four domains of QOL. Hence, intervention programs are necessary to escalate the income levels of rural communities, especially the bottom 40%, to uplift perceived QOL among rural residents.

Factors associated with sleep quality among "left-behind women" in rural China: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to assess the sleep quality of left-behind women in rural China and exploring the factors associated with sleep quality among rural women.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Liaoning province, China. A total of 1591 participants were investigated. The sleep quality of rural women was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale (PSQI). The data collected included sociodemographic together with psychological factors including depression (CES-D), loneliness (UCLA), social support (PSSS), and resilience (CD-RISC).

RESULTS

The total prevalence rate of poor sleep quality for all participants was 34.54%, the detection rate of poor sleep quality in left-behind women was 51.6%, while it was only 24.3% in nonleft-behind women. The binary logistic regression indicated that the state of left behind was definitely a risk factor for sleep quality. In addition, physical exercise, social support, and resilience had significantly protective effects on sleep quality. Labor pressure, raising children, life events, depression, and loneliness served as risk factors were related to sleep quality.

CONCLUSION

The general sleep quality of rural left-behind women was not promising in rural China. Urgent attention should be payed to sleep quality of left-behind women. It is very necessary to promote sleep quality of left-behind women by developing public service and mental health system and to provide psychological intervention for those with poor mental health to promote the development of physical and mental health ultimately.

Activities of daily living, life orientation, and health-related quality of life among older people in nursing homes: a national cross-sectional study in China

PURPOSE

This study aimed to explore the current status of activities of daily living (ADLs), life orientation, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among older people in nursing homes and to further examine the mediating role of life orientation in the impact of ADLs on HRQoL.

METHODS

A national cross-sectional study was conducted among older people aged 60 and above in nursing homes by the randomly stratified cluster sampling method. The status of ADLs, life orientation and HRQoL were measured using an ADL scale, a life orientation scale and the SF-12v2 scale, respectively. Multiple linear regression models were used to identify explanatory factors associated with ADLs, life orientation, and HRQoL. The potential mediating role of life orientation in the relationship between ADL and HRQoL was explored by mediation analysis.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of ADL disability was 52.67%, and 84.37% of older people in nursing homes had a negative life orientation. The mean scores of physical health and mental health among older people in nursing homes were 45.44 ± 6.46 and 42.67 ± 8.48, respectively. Some sociodemographic characteristics were associated with poor physical health and mental health. After adjustments were made for covariates, the life orientation score mediated 13.81% of the total effect of the ADL score on physical component score of HRQoL and mediated 45.33% of the mental component score of HRQoL.

CONCLUSION

A sizeable proportion of older people had ADL disability and negative life orientation, and HRQoL was poor among older Chinese people in nursing homes. Life orientation partially mediates the relationship between ADLs and HRQoL.

The spatial differentiation of quality of rural life based on natural controlling factors: A case study of Gansu Province, China

The laws of regional differentiation of county development and influencing factors on the quality of rural life (QRL), affect not only the vital interests of rural residents but also the scientific implementation of rural revitalization strategy. In this paper, taking 87 counties (cities, districts) of Gansu Province as the region of study, we constructed five-dimensional model of QRL index. Then, Pearson correlation, spatial coupling, geographical detector and tradeoff analysis methods were used to analyze the QRL's spatial differentiation and quantitively identify its natural controlling factors. Further, we discussed the mechanism of spatial differentiation of QRL in Gansu Province and provided recommendations for improving QRL. The results show that: (1) QRL in Gansu Province is characterized by spatial heterogeneity and agglomeration, and decreases from west to east. There are five hot spots and four cold spots of QRL. (2) Altitude, slope, precipitation, and distance to the provincial capital (DTTPC) are the natural controlling factors of spatial differentiation of QRL in Gansu Province. Their influences are quantified to be 0.19, 0.37, 0.37 and 0.20, respectively. (3) The tradeoff between QRL and precipitation is the strongest, with root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 0.293. The tradeoff between QRL and altitude/slope/DTTCC are of medium level and decrease successively, with values of 0.238, 0.255 and 0.2 respectively. (4) According to the different influences of natural controlling factors on QRL, Gansu Province was classified into three regional types: natural environment restricted type, resource abundance restricted type and economic location restricted type. Thus, we can improve the QRL on the basis of identifying driving mechanisms in different regions, make policies according to local conditions, and further promote the rural development.

Rural Poverty Identification and Comprehensive Poverty Assessment Based on Quality-of-Life: The Case of Gansu Province (China)

Rural poverty has received extensive attention worldwide. Eliminating poverty and achieving common prosperity are the major tasks for China to build a well-off society in an all-round way. Based on the evaluation results of quality of rural life (QRL) and relative poverty index (RPI), this paper identifies and classifies the poor objects using importance–Performance analysis (IPA) method and poverty degree model. The results were as following: (1) QRL has obvious regional differences, and its value gradually decreases from west to east, which is opposite to the spatial distribution pattern of RPI. In areas with high QRL value, the RPI is lower. (2) Fifty counties and districts are clustered in the second quadrant of IPA quadrant map, i.e., Low QRL-High RPI, and the lower quality-of-life corresponds to the higher degree of relative poverty. (3) The coincidence between the poverty-stricken counties and the poverty-stricken counties of the country identified as 84.48% by IPA method, which indicates that the accuracy of poverty delineation based on income is high. (4) Gansu Province is dominated by highly impoverished areas, accounting for 60% of the total number of impoverished counties. The results of comprehensive poverty classification are in line with the actual situation of impoverished counties. In counties with higher CPL, the poverty level is deeper. It is more difficult to get rid of poverty. This study can provide theoretical basis and decision-making reference for the formulation and implementation of Poverty Alleviation Policies in the late stage of underdeveloped areas in western China.

Sexuality-Related Factors and Quality of Life Among Reproductive-Aged Married Female Migrant Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern China

Introduction

Sexuality is a critical part of overall well-being. However, until now, studies on women’s health related to the effect of sexuality on physical and psychosocial outcomes have been seriously ignored, especially the health-related quality of life (QOL) of reproductive-aged married female migrant workers.

Aim

To analyze the associations between sexuality-related factors and QOL and explore the independent contributions of sexuality-related factors to QOL in this population group in southern China.

Methods

In this cross-sectional survey, 609 Chinese married female migrant workers aged 19–49 years were studied. Clustered multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the associations between sexuality-related variables and QOL.

Outcomes

QOL was measured using the Short Form (SF-36) Healthy Survey. Details of the participants (sociodemographic, health-related and sexuality-related factors) were obtained.

Results

Approximately 10.0% of respondents always felt a lack of sexual interest and lubrication difficulties, and 37.5% of respondents seldom or never experienced sexual satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses revealed that women who never felt lubrication difficulties obtained higher role physical, bodily pain, general health, and physical component summary scores in physical domains and higher vitality (VT), mental health (MH), and mental component summary (MCS) scores in mental domains compared with those who always felt lubrication difficulties. Compared with those who always experienced sexual satisfaction, women who never experienced sexual satisfaction had relatively lower role physical, bodily pain, and general health scores in physical domains, and women who never or seldom experienced sexual satisfaction had lower VT, MH, and MCS scores in mental domains. The independent contributions of sexuality-related factors in mental domains (VT, MH, and MCS) accounted for 50.0%, 52.4%, and 39.5%, respectively; more than that of all sociodemographic and health-related variables in the VT and MH domains.

Conclusions

Sexuality-related factors (lubrication difficulties and sexual satisfaction) were significant independent determinants of QOL among reproductive-aged Chinese married female migrant workers, especially in mental domains.

Li BB, Liu N, Li B, et al. Sexuality-Related Factors and Quality of Life Among Reproductive-Aged Married Female Migrant Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern China. Sex Med 2019;7:384–395.

Maternal and paternal quality of life in children with epilepsy: Who is affected more?

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to evaluate and compare parental quality of life (QoL), anxiety, and depression in mothers and fathers of children with epilepsy (CWE).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty-three mothers and 33 fathers of 33 CWE (aged 1-16 years) completed the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Form (WHOQOL-BREF), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) questionnaires. Scores for the questionnaires were compared for 36 mothers and 36 fathers of 36 healthy children (aged 1-16 years). The control group consisted of hospital staff who had healthy children.

RESULTS

Mothers of CWE had significantly lower scores for the environmental domain of the WHOQOL-BREF, BDI, and BAI questionnaires compared with mothers of healthy children (p < 0.05), while fathers showed no significant difference (p > 0.05). Furthermore, mothers of CWE had significantly lower scores for the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF compared with fathers (p < 0.05). The environmental domain of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was negatively correlated with the number of children for all parents (r = -0.342, p = 0.005), and the BAI and BDI scales were positively correlated with the number of children (r = 0.386, p = 0.001; r = 0.395, p = 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Mothers of CWE showed lower scores for the psychological domain in QoL analysis compared with fathers of CWE, as well as decreased emotional wellbeing and lower QoL compared with mothers of healthy children. These results reveal that parents of CWE with a larger family size are more affected and that mothers of CWE are more affected. The reasons for these findings and possible interventions that might improve QoL, particularly in mothers with CWE, require further research.