Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2006 Sep;15(7):1121-31.
doi: 10.1007/s11136-006-0068-y. Epub 2006 Sep 13.

The impact of newly diagnosed chronic paediatric conditions on parental quality of life

Affiliations

The impact of newly diagnosed chronic paediatric conditions on parental quality of life

Lutz Goldbeck. Qual Life Res. 2006 Sep.

Abstract

Objective: Parental functioning and well-being are important aspects of a family's adaptation to chronic paediatric conditions. This study investigates the effects of diagnosis (cancer vs. diabetes/epilepsy) and time since diagnosis on parental quality of life (PQL).

Methods: 122 parents (66 mothers, 56 fathers), whose children were diagnosed and treated for one chronic disease, filled in the Ulm Quality of Life Inventory for Parents twice within the first three months after the initial diagnosis. The effects of diagnosis and time (1-2 weeks and 2-3 months after diagnosis) on PQL were analysed separately for mothers and fathers.

Results: Parents of a child with cancer consistently reported lower PQL compared with parents of a child with diabetes/epilepsy. Only the fathers' well-being increased significantly within the first three months after the child was diagnosed for a chronic disease. However, in most of the PQL domains there was a persistent impairment within the time-frame of this study. Parents of children with a chronic disease were more satisfied with their family situation than healthy controls. Age of the child was positively correlated with PQL.

Conclusions: A diagnosis of cancer, especially in young children, has a strong negative effect on PQL. Measuring PQL in a preventive approach would help to identify vulnerable parents and to provide psychosocial support in time.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. JAMA. 1989 Nov 17;262(19):2693-9 - PubMed
    1. J Pediatr Psychol. 1997 Oct;22(5):749-58 - PubMed
    1. Pediatrics. 1997 Aug;100(2 Pt 1):244-51 - PubMed
    1. J Pediatr Psychol. 1992 Feb;17(1):15-31 - PubMed
    1. Child Health Care. 1995 Summer;24(3):143-58 - PubMed