Health related quality of life and associated factors among children and adolescent cancer patients at Tikur Anbessa specialized hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020: child and parent perspective.

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Date

2020-10

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Addis Abeba University

Abstract

Cancer is one of the most devastating diseases in children. Diagnosis and treatment of cancer in children has effects that can limit their functional roles in daily life which will cause disruption in their quality of life. However, there is a limited study that assess the quality of life of children in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess health related quality of life and determinant factors among children and adolescent cancer patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital cancer center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study was conducted from May-June 26, 2020 using cross sectional study design. Sixty-nine children and adolescents with their parents/proxy had participated. Data was collected using PedsQL Inventory tool of the generic core scale, cancer module and multidimensional fatigue scale from both child and parents/proxy. Data was analyzed using SPSS 24 and ANOVA and t test were used to evaluate mean difference among variables. Multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of HRQoL. Children and adolescents aged from 8-18 participated in this study and 40 were male while females were 29. This study found generic quality of life mean score of 69.0 and 66.8 also cancer quality of life mean score of 74.5 and 72.48 based on child self and parent/proxy reports respectively. Lower scores were observed in physical function, emotional function, nausea and communication. Clinical characteristics of patients had shown significant relation with generic and cancer scores. Fatigue, treatment duration, cancer type and treatment status predicted HRQoL of children and adolescent cancer patients. Symptom management and Psychological support in the initial phases of the treatment should get attention by clintians.

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Keywords

Childhood/adolescent cancer, Health related quality of life, parent/proxy

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