Depression and Quality of Life Among Caregivers of Pediatric Cancer Patients

It's about living a normal life: parents' quality of life when their child has a life-threatening or life-limiting condition - a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Pediatric palliative care (PPC) seeks to enhance the quality of life (QoL) for both children and their families. While most studies within PPC have focused on the ill child's QoL, less is known about parents' experiences of their own QoL. The aim of this study was to explore parents' QoL when their child has a life-threatening or life-limiting condition.

METHODS

The study has a qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological design inspired by van Manen's phenomenology of practice. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 fathers and 12 mothers of children living with cancer or a genetic condition. A deeper understanding of parents' lived experiences was obtained through an adapted photo elicitation method. Two rounds of thematic analysis were conducted, covering both the photo elicitation data, and interview data.

RESULTS

The findings describe four themes related to parents' QoL: living a normal life, giving my child a good life, having time to fulfill siblings' needs, and feeling heard and respected in the health and social care system.

CONCLUSIONS

The complexity of elements shaping parents' QoL is evident. The interconnectedness between parents, the ill child, siblings, and interactions with the health and social care system, highlights the need to understand and address diverse aspects in enhancing parents QoL.

Psychometric Properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for Saudi Caregivers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic-language Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) among Saudi caregivers of patients with chronic diseases. Using a cross-sectional design, 94 Saudi caregivers (37 male and 57 female) in the medical city participated in the study. A comparative assessment was conducted on 4 models proposed in the existing PHQ-9 literature to gauge their compatibility through confirmatory factor analyses. This study evaluates convergent validity through a correlation analysis, examining the relationship between the PHQ-9 and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Among the various models we examined, the single-factor structure of the PHQ-9 displayed the best fit with the data we gathered. Notably, the Cronbach alpha coefficient for the PHQ-9 registered at .81, indicating a high level of internal consistency. Factor loadings spanned a range from .39 to .76. The convergent validity of the PHQ-9 and DASS-21 was deemed satisfactory. It is established that the PHQ-9 serves as an effective tool for depression screening among Saudi caregivers in Saudi Arabia. Its strengths lie in its demonstrated validity, dependability, brevity, and convenience of administration, positioning it as a valuable resource for preventative measures and performance assessment within mental health settings.

Correlation Between Symptoms of Depression and Obesity in Caregivers of Patients With Chronic Illness: A Gender Difference Analysis

This study involved gender-stratified analysis and total-sample analysis to assess the extent to which symptoms of depression correlate with the body mass index (BMI) of a population of 112 people responsible for caring for others diagnosed with a chronic illness. The majority of the participants (caregivers) of this study were female (57.1%). All participants were recruited from an urban medical city hospital. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was employed to assess the extent to which caregivers exhibited symptoms of depression, and BMI was calculated by the researcher using the subject's height and weight. Regressions were executed on the entire dataset spanning male and female participants to generate insights into demographic factors, after which the PHQ-9 was administered. After taking into account the possible confounding factors, the findings of the regression showed that there was a significant correlation between the BMI and PHQ-9 scores (β = .25, P = .042). The correlation between BMI and PHQ-9 persisted among females (β = .37, P = .023). Furthermore, there is a noteworthy correlation among the participants who were morbidly obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2). The correlation between BMI and PHQ-9 caregivers of patients with chronic illness remained after taking demographic factors into account. These findings could be utilized to enhance the outcomes for caregivers of patients with chronic illness. They may be particularly pertinent for caregivers who are experiencing depression or are overweight.