The quality of life of parents of children with down syndrome in a tertiary care hospital: A qualitative research study at Saudi Arabia

Examining the Quality of Life and Discrimination Impact on Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia: A WHO-QOL Survey

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease marked by social and repetitive or restricted behaviors, as well as communication difficulty. Objectives This survey aimed to assess the quality of life (QoL) of parents with ASDs in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia using the brief form of the World Health Organization (WHO-QOL) questionnaire. Furthermore, we sought to measure the severity of discrimination experienced by parents of children with ASDs and their impact on QoL. Methodology Using a Google form, a cross-sectional study was carried out online between March and April 2023. The patient records from four different regions of Saudi Arabia were used to recruit study participants. The survey was distributed through well-known social media channels (Instagram, Telegram, Facebook). Results A total of 99 parents were included in this study. The Southern region accounted for the bulk of participants (81.8%, n=81), nearly three-fourths of the children were boys (70.7%), mothers were more common among respondents (65.7%, n=65) than fathers, 66.7% of respondents reported being married, and 78.8% fall into the middle economic class category. The main source of information among the studied population was the Internet (39.4%, n=39), followed by relatives (23.0%, n=23), physicians (8.1%, n=9), and finally books (4%, n=4). The mean scores for the various domains are as follows: physical (58.48 ± 13.84), psychological (62.04 ± 18.08), social relations (61.20 ± 23.24), environment (24.12 ± 14.62), general QoL (72.93 ± 4.30), and general health (73.94 ± 4.63). Nearly half (46.5%) of parents have encountered stigma or discrimination toward their child or family. Individuals who reported experiencing discrimination exhibited significantly lower mean scores in multiple QoL domains than those who did not report discrimination for physical (54.11, ± 14.36vs, 62.26±12.28, p=0.003), psychological (55.80 ± 20.33 vs 67.45 ± 13.94, p=0.002), and social relations (55.43± 24.17 vs 66.20 ± 21.40, p=0.022). Multivariate analysis revealed that discrimination was the only significant predictor of QoL (p < 0.001). Conclusions The QoL of parents having a child with autism is low, moreover, the coincidence of discrimination and stigma significantly lowered QoL.

Walking capacity and its association with quality of life among children with down syndrome in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Walking ability, which has been connected to better health and independence, is one of the daily activities that is negatively impacted by Down syndrome. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the walking capacity and its association with the quality of life of children who have Down syndrome compared to those who do not have Down syndrome in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

For this cross-sectional study, we recruited 68 Arabic-speaking children aged 6 to 12 using a convenience sampling method from August to November 2021. Children were divided into two groups: those who do not have Down syndrome (n = 38) and those who have Down syndrome (n = 30). Children in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia who do not have Down syndrome were chosen randomly from two schools. Children who have Down syndrome were selected from multiple associations and centers in the same region. A 6-minute walk test was used to measure the child's walking capacity. The Arabic version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory scale was used to assess the child's or parent's perceptions of the child's quality of life and its physical, emotional, social, and school functioning domains.

RESULTS

The difference in the mean 6-minute walk test scores between children who have and who do not have Down syndrome was statistically significant, with a mean difference = 105.6, 95% confidence limit = 57.2-154.0, p < .0001. The linear regression analysis after adjusting for age, height, weight, and body mass index revealed that walking capacity was found to be significantly associated with the worst score on the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory scale (β = -2.71, SE = 0.49, p < .0001) and its domains of physical, social, and school functioning (β = -2.29, SE = 0.54, p < .0001; β = -2.40, SE = 0.58; p = .001; β = -3.71, SE = 0.56, p = .002, respectively) in children who have Down syndrome, but they had better emotional functioning than children who do not have Down syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

Children who have Down syndrome were less able to walk and were highly associated with the worst possible quality of life, which included the lowest levels of physical, social, and school functioning. Early interventions with techniques must be developed to improve the quality of life for these children.