Assessment of quality of life among children with chronic Diseases; A descriptive study

Assessment of quality of life among children with chronic diseases; A descriptive study. Children are prone to various minor and major health problems and these conditions affect their everyday life throughout childhood. The quality of survival has emerged as a fundamental focus of comprehensive healthcare and considered as valid indicators of unmet needs and intervention outcomes. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the quality of life among children with chronic diseases and to determine the association of quality of life among children with chronic diseases with selected demographic variables. Material and Methods: A non-experimental descriptive research design was used. Total of 119 children with chronic diseases aged between 8-12 years at MMIMS&R hospital, Mullana, Ambala who met the inclusion criteria were selected using purposive sampling technique. Modified PedsQL generic core scale was used to collect data through interview technique. It includes 11 dimensions namely physical, emotional, social, about school, cognitive, family relationship, daily activities, communication, medication, worry and fatigue dimension. Reliability of modified PedsQL generic core scale was tested by crohnbach’s apha was found to be 0.84. Results: The findings of the study indicated that most (65%) of children were male, majority (88%) of them were pursuing their elementary education. Nearly half (45%) of children were suffering from seizures followed by 35% with asthma, 12% with chronic renal diseases and only 8% were suffering from hepatitis. Overall mean quality of life scores among children with chronic diseases was 4131.72± 447.12. Mean quality of life scores among children with chronic renal disease was 4594.64 ± 304.95 followed by asthma was 4367.86± 264.36 whereas mean quality of life scores among children with seizure was 3896.23± 419.46 and hepatitis was 3740 ± 247.26. Most affected dimension was about school with mean 277.52 ± 46.53. Study findings also revealed that the association of quality of life with mother’s age, disease condition, mother’s education, father’s education, father’s occupation, family income per month and type of family was found to be statistically significant at 0.05 level of significance. Conclusion: It was concluded that children with chronic renal diseases had better quality of life as compared to children with asthma, seizures and hepatitis. Chronic diseases among children have impact on their quality of life.