How chronic disease affects children's views on being ill and healthy: a comparative study

Comparative study on health behaviors among adolescents with chronic allergic disease before and during COVID-19 using data from the Korean Youth Health Panel Surveys

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the changes in the health behaviors and subjective health perception of adolescents with chronic allergic disease, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis, amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Korea.

METHODS

This study used the 15th (2019) and 17th (2021) raw data obtained from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS), conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression with complex sampling using weighted values. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for six health behaviors and subjective health perception were used as the major variables.

RESULTS

Six health behaviors (dietary habits, weight gain, smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep time, and physical activity) changed substantially during COVID-19. There was an increase in the duration of sedentary activities, a slight increase in BMI, and improvements in mental health. Concurrently, there was a decrease in alcohol consumption, sleep duration, and the consumption of sweetened beverages. Despite these improvements in big six health behaviors, adolescents with chronic illnesses continue to perceive themselves as unhealthy.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the follow-up and monitoring of health behaviors and subjective health perception in adolescents with chronic allergic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic are necessary. Understanding the mechanisms underlying sustained behavioral change can inform the development of interventions to promote healthy behavior after the pandemic has passed.

Design and Administration of Patient-Centred Outcome Measures: The Perspectives of Children and Young People with Life-Limiting or Life-Threatening Conditions and Their Family Members

BACKGROUND

Self-reported health data from children with life-limiting conditions is rarely collected. To improve acceptability and feasibility of child and family-centred outcome measures for children, they need to be designed in a way that reflects preferences, priorities and abilities.

OBJECTIVES

The aim was to identify preferences for patient-reported outcome measure design (recall period, response format, length, administration mode) to improve the feasibility, acceptability, comprehensibility and relevance of a child and family-centred outcome measure, among children with life-limiting conditions and their family members.

METHOD

A semi-structured qualitative interview study seeking the perspectives of children with life-limiting conditions, their siblings and parents on measure design was conducted. Participants were purposively sampled and recruited from nine UK sites. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using framework analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 79 participants were recruited: 39 children aged 5-17 years (26 living with a life-limiting condition; 13 healthy siblings) and 40 parents (of children aged 0-17 years). Children found a short recall period and a visually appealing measure with ten questions or fewer most acceptable. Children with life-limiting conditions were more familiar with using rating scales such as numeric and Likert than their healthy siblings. Children emphasised the importance of completing the measure alongside interactions with a healthcare professional to enable them to talk about their responses. While parents assumed that electronic completion methods would be most feasible and acceptable, a small number of children preferred paper.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that children with life-limiting conditions can engage in communicating preferences regarding the design of a patient-centred outcome measure. Where possible, children should be given the opportunity to participate in the measure development process to enhance acceptability and uptake in clinical practice. Results of this study should be considered in future research on outcome measure development in children.

Child's Illness Representation Instrument: Testing Reliability & Factor Structure Study

BACKGROUND

Researchers have determined that illness representation, including identifying the illness, understanding the cause, and knowing the risk, may influence asthma symptom management.

PURPOSE

The purpose of study was to determine reliability and factor structure for child's version of illness representation.

METHODS

A Maximum Likelihood factor analysis was used to examine reliability and factor structure of the child version of illness representation (CIR) scale. The sample included teens ages 12 to 18 from United States (N=331) with asthma.

RESULTS

The reliability was 0.79. Eight factors loaded with the most percentage of variance.

CONCLUSIONS

The perceptions of teens on the health care provider's prescribing practices may shed light on medication adherence. More research is needed to examine CIRS function in a study on medication adherence.

Coping behavior of children undergoing chemotherapy

Abstract The diagnosis of childhood cancer, the treatment itself and its sequelae can be considered as stressful events in the child’s life, requiring the use of coping strategies. The aim of this study was to describe the coping behaviors used by children and adolescents with cancer undergoing chemotherapy treatment, separated by sex, age and type of cancer. A total of 15 children and adolescents, from 6 to 12 years old, of both sexes, answered the Hospitalization Coping Strategies instrument regarding coping behaviors. Participants referred to behaviors with greater chances of an adaptive outcome: watching TV, talking, and taking their medicines. There were differences in the coping behaviors regarding sex, age, and types of cancer. These differences highlight the need for personalized interventions that include specific characteristics to facilitate the child’s adaptation to the treatment.