[Impact of the family socioeconomic status on health related quality of life in children operated on for congenital heart defects]

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the family socioeconomic status (SES) on health related quality of life (HRQoL) in children operated on for congenital heart defects.

Patients and methods: The study included 114 children aged 1.6-18 (mean = 10.2 +/- 4.2) years (46.5% male and 53.5% female), followed up at University Department of Pediatrics in Tuzla after cardiac surgery, and one of their parents or caretakers. Of 114 children with congenital heart defects, 54.4% had anomalies with left-right shunt, 18.4% obstructive type anomalies and 27.2% complex anomalies. Control group consisted of 127 healthy age-matched subjects (age range 1.5-18, mean = 11.2 +/- 4.2 years; 49.6% male and 50.4% female). In this prospective study, we used PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scale to assess HRQoL of children operated on for congenital heart defects. This measurement includes both the parent proxy and child reports. The family SES was assessed by use of Hollingshead two factor index of social position. Statistical significance of differences between respondents and control group was determined by use of t-test and ANOVA with Bonferroni test.

Results: The reports of children operated on for congenital heart defects yielded no statistically significant difference in their HRQoL according to family SES. Parental proxy reports showed medium scores for physical health and activity to be significantly lower in children from low SES families as compared with those from medium SES families. Scores on school activities also differed significantly between patients with low and higher family SES. Parental reports revealed statistically significantly poorer HRQoL in children from low SES families in terms of physical health and activity, psychosocial and emotional health and social activities scores, as compared with the control group with low SES. Children operated on for congenital heart defects from medium and high SES families also had statistically lower school activities in comparison to control group of children from medium or high SES families.

Conclusion: The results of HRQoL according to parental proxy report indicated low SES to influence various aspects of HRQoL in children operated on for congenital heart defects. This could be explained by the fact that the risk factors associated with low SES may directly or indirectly affect not only family HRQoL but also HRQoL of children operated on for congenital heart defects. Therefore, it appears necessary for the low SES families with a child suffering from chronic disease to receive help from wider community to solve the above mentioned problem.