Factors associated with health-related quality of life among children with cancer from the standpoint of patients and caregivers

Background

The quality of life for childhood cancer patients is impaired by this disease and its treatment. Knowing the factors that contribute most to this framework allows identifying the greatest needs, subsidized preventive strategies. The objective of the study was assessing the factors associated with health-related quality of life among children with cancer from the standpoint of patients and caregivers.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with sample consisted of 71 patients between the ages of 5 and 18 as well as their caregivers. Two forms (clinical examination and interview) from the National Oral Health Survey, the Modified Oral Assessment Guide and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQLTM) version 3.0 were used as data collection instruments.

Results

From the standpoint of the caregivers, having fewer cognitive difficulties (OR?=?0.92), fewer pain symptoms and hurt (OR?=?0.94) and lower procedure anxiety (OR?=?0.93) were associated with higher quality of life scores; by contrast, being female (OR?=?9.49), the number of household members (OR?=?1.94) and smiling with embarrassment (OR?=?13.82) were associated with lower quality of life score. From the standpoint of patients, having fewer cognitive difficulties (OR?=?0.94) and positive perception of physical appearance (OR?=?0.94) were associated with higher quality of life scores; by contrast, smiling with embarrassment (OR?=?11.56) and toothaches (OR?=?7.37) were associated with lower quality of life score.

Conclusions

The patient and caregiver symptom reports yielded distinct results, although cognitive difficulties and smiling with embarrassment were significantly associated with impaired quality of life on both types of reports.