Quality of life and emotional vulnerability in a national cohort of adolescents living with Fontan circulation

Abstract Introduction: To investigate quality of life and mental health after Fontan completion, we aimed to characterise outcomes in a representative group of adolescent patients. The study was part of the pre-transition clinical work-up in adolescents with Fontan-type palliation of univentricular CHD. The programme covers the entire paediatric Fontan patient population in Norway. Methods: Our cross-sectional study included 42 adolescents with Fontan circulation aged 15–18. We recruited a control group of 29 healthy peers. Quality of life was measured by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Questionnaire, while mental health was assessed with the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results: Fontan patients scored lower than healthy controls on the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory total (p = 0.004), the physical (p < 0.001) and social (p = 0.001) functioning subscale, and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire subscale of emotional symptoms (p = 0.035). Compared to two of the healthy teens (7%), seven patients (16%) in the Fontan group scored as having impaired mental health (p = 0.224). The female/male ratio for individuals with impaired health was 7:2 (p = 0.003). Conclusions: Compared to healthy controls, adolescents after Fontan-type palliation in Norway have good health-related quality of life and mental health, despite having slightly lower score than healthy individuals, mainly in physical domains and school functioning. Compared to healthy controls and healthy teenagers, these adolescents have somewhat more emotional problems, and compared to male patients, female patients more often have impaired mental health.

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Mental Health, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life of US Adolescent Athletes During COVID-19–Related School Closures and Sport Cancellations: A Study of 13 000 Athletes

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-0478.20 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Timothy A. McGuine ◽

Kevin M. Biese ◽

Labina Petrovska ◽

Scott J. Hetzel ◽

Claudia Reardon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Functional Activity ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Adolescent Athletes ◽

School Closures ◽

Quality Of Life Inventory ◽

Life Inventory

Context In the spring of 2020, US schools closed to in-person teaching and sports were cancelled to control the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is critical to understand the mental and physical health of adolescent athletes during this time. Objective To describe the health of athletes during COVID-19–related school closures and sport cancellations. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting A national sample recruited via social media. Patients or Other Participants A total of 13 002 US adolescent athletes (age = 16.3 ± 1.2 years, females = 52.9%, males = 47.0%) completed an anonymous online survey. Main Outcome Measure(s) Demographic information collected was sex, grade, sport(s) played, and zip code. Assessments used were the General Anxiety Disorder 7-Item for anxiety, Patient Health Questionnaire 9-Item for depression, the Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale for physical activity, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 for quality of life. Mental health, physical activity, and health-related quality-of-life variables were compared among sex, grade, sport(s) played, and poverty level using means and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from the survey-weighted analysis of variance. Results Females reported a higher prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (females = 43.7% versus males = 28.2%). The Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale score was highest (best) for grade 9 (mean = 14.5, 95% CI = 14.0, 15.0) and lowest for grade 11 (mean = 10.9, 95% CI = 10.5, 11.3. The prevalence of depression symptoms was highest in team sport (74.1%) and lowest in individual sport (64.9%) participants. The total Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory score was lowest (worst) for athletes from counties with the highest poverty levels (high: mean = 74.5, 95% CI = 73.7, 75.3; middle: mean = 78.9, 95% CI = 78.0, 79.8; and low: mean = 78.3, 95% CI = 77.4, 79.1). Conclusions The health of US adolescents during the COVID-19–related school closures and sport cancellations varied to differing degrees depending on sex, grade level, type of sport participation, and level of poverty. Health policy experts should consider these findings in the future when creating and implementing policies to improve the health of adolescents in the United States.

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Quality of life in stroke survivors

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina43090095 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 43 (9) ◽

pp. 736 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Daina Krančiukaitė ◽

Daiva Rastenytė ◽

Kristina Jurėnienė ◽

Diana Šopagienė

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Physical Health ◽

Control Group ◽

Case Group ◽

Stroke Survivors ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Mental Work

The aim of the study was to compare the quality of life among stroke survivors and healthy controls and to evaluate the influence of age, sex, and social and demographic factors on the quality of life. Contingent and methods. The case group consisted of 508 inhabitants of Kaunas city who were 25–84 years of age and had experienced their first stroke. The control group consisted of age- and sex-stratified randomly selected 508 stroke-free inhabitants of Kaunas city. The quality of life was evaluated using the SF- 12 questionnaire. The study compared the quality of life between stroke survivors and controls in eight domains of quality of life and compared the evaluation of quality of life considering social and demographic features. Results. In the domain of physical and mental health, stroke survivors presented poorer evaluation of their quality of life compared to controls except for the evaluations of mental health in the age groups of 25–34 and 35–44 years. As compared to healthy controls, stroke survivors presented poorer evaluation of their quality of life in all domains except for pain. Only in the control group, females presented poorer evaluation of physical health, whereas no differences in the evaluation of mental health between sexes were found. The evaluation of physical health in both groups worsened with age. Both stroke survivors and controls presented better evaluation of their physical health if they were living not alone, were better educated, and were employed compared to those who were living alone, had poorer education level, and were unemployed. In addition, controls who were currently or previously engaged in mental work evaluated their physical health better. Conclusions. Stroke survivors presented poorer evaluations of their quality of life in both physical and mental health domains compared to controls. Only in the control group, females evaluated their physical health worse than males did. In both groups studied, poorer evaluation of physical health was associated with older age and lower social and demographic status. Relationship between mental health and subjects’ social and demographic status was not statistically significant in either of the studied groups.

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Quality of Life, Stress, and Mental Health in Parents of Children with Parentally Diagnosed Food Allergy Compared to Medically Diagnosed and Healthy Controls

Journal of Allergy ◽

10.1155/2016/1497375 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Gurkiran Birdi ◽

Richard Cooke ◽

Rebecca Knibb

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Food Allergy ◽

General Population ◽

Life Stress ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Anxiety Depression

Background. Food allergy is related to poorer quality of life (QoL) and mental health of caregivers. Many parents diagnose food allergy in their child without seeking medical care and there is limited research on this group. This study investigated parental QoL and mental health in parents of children with parent-diagnosed food allergy (PA), medically diagnosed food allergy (MA), and a control group with no allergy (NA). Methods. One hundred and fifty parents from a general population completed validated measures of QoL, anxiety, depression, and stress. Results. Parents of children with food allergy (PA or MA) reported higher stress, anxiety, and depression than the control group (all p<0.05). Parents of children with MA reported poorer food allergy related QoL compared to parents of children with PA (p<0.05); parents of children with PA reported poorer general QoL compared to parents of children with MA (p<0.05). Conclusion. Parents of children with food allergy have significantly poorer mental health compared to healthy controls, irrespective of whether food allergy is medically diagnosed or not. It is important to encourage parents to have their child medically tested for food allergy and to recognise and refer for psychological support where needed.

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Effects of COVID-19 Outbreak on Children’s Mental Health: A Comparative Study with Children Diagnosed and Isolated from Their Parents

Psychiatry Investigation ◽

10.30773/pi.2020.0372 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 140-146

Author(s):

Şenay Kılınçel ◽

Feray Tarımtay Altun ◽

Özgecan Nuryüz ◽

Ezgi Tan ◽

Erkal Erzincan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Child Anxiety ◽

Control Group ◽

Parent Group ◽

Quality Of Life Inventory ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Anxiety Levels ◽

And Control

Objective The COVID-19 outbreak has negatively affected children in many ways. This study aimed to compare the psychological responses of children exposed to different levels of stress during the COVID-19 outbreak.Methods The anxiety levels, negative thoughts, and quality of life of COVID-19-positive children with COVID-19-positive parents (Child+ group, n=17), COVID-19-negative children who are separated from COVID-19-positive parents (Parent+ group, n=59), and a control group (n=64) were compared. The participants completed the Screen for Child Anxiety and Related Disorders (SCARED), Children’s Negative Cognitive Errors Questionnaire (CNCEQ), and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL).Results The statistical analysis revealed that the Parent+ group recorded higher SCARED and CNCEQ scores and lower PedsQL scores in comparison with the control group. No statistically significant difference was found between the scores of the Child+ and control groups. Furthermore, high CNCEQ scores and low PedsQL scores in the Parent+ group predicted an increase in their SCARED scores.Conclusion Our study indicates that separating children from their parents during the COVID-19 outbreak negatively influences their mental health and increases their anxiety levels.

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Predictive Validity and Sensitivity to Change in Quality of Life Assessment and Life Satisfaction: Further Studies of the Quality of Life Inventory or QOLI in Mental Health Settings

Advances in Quality-of-Life Theory and Research - Social Indicators Research Series ◽

10.1007/978-94-017-0387-1_12 ◽

2003 ◽

pp. 191-210 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Michael B. Frisch ◽

Michelle P. Clark ◽

Steven V. Rouse ◽

M. David Rudd ◽

Jennifer Paweleck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Predictive Validity ◽

Life Assessment ◽

Sensitivity To Change ◽

Quality Of Life Inventory ◽

Mental Health Settings ◽

Life Inventory

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The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0: A Study on Normal Children and Adolescents in India−A Cross-Sectional Study

Critical Reviews in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine ◽

10.1615/critrevphysrehabilmed.v22.i1-4.50 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 22 (1-4) ◽

pp. 61-69

Author(s):

Prayash Rath ◽

Sailakshmi Ganesan ◽

Amitesh Narayan

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Normal Children ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Quality Of Life Inventory ◽

Life Inventory

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Associations of Age, Gender, and Family Income with Quality of Life in Children With Advanced Cancer

Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing ◽

10.1177/1043454221992321 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 104345422199232

Author(s):

Piera C. Robson ◽

Mary S. Dietrich ◽

Terrah Foster Akard

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Advanced Cancer ◽

Family Income ◽

Hematologic Malignancy ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Quality Of Life Inventory ◽

Younger Age ◽

Self Reports ◽

Life Inventory

Background: Children with cancer often experience decreased quality of life (QOL) throughout the illness trajectory. The purpose of this study was to explore the associations of demographic characteristics with QOL in children with advanced cancer. Methods: This secondary analysis was part of a larger randomized clinical trial that evaluated the efficacy of a legacy intervention for children (7–17 years) with relapsed/refractory cancer and their primary parent caregivers. Assessments included child self-reports on the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Cancer Module. Researchers used descriptive and linear regression statistical methods. Results: Children ( n = 128) averaged 10.9 years (SD = 3.0). The majority were female ( n = 68, 53%), white ( n = 107, 84%), had a hematologic malignancy ( n = 67, 52%), with family incomes of $50,000 or less ( n = 81, 63.3%). Statistically significant positive associations of both age and income level with PedsQL scores were observed ( p < .05) but not gender ( p > .05). The strongest correlations for age were with the procedural anxiety ( beta = 0.42), treatment anxiety ( beta = 0.26), and total ( beta = 0.28) scores (all p < .01). In general, there was a positive correlation between family income levels and PedsQL scores ( p < .05). The strongest correlations for income were with nausea ( R = 0.49), appearance ( R = 0.44), pain, and treatment anxiety (both R = 0.42) (all p < .01). Associations adjusted for age remained essentially the same (all p < .01). Discussion: Children with advanced cancer with lower family income and younger age are at high risk for poorer QOL. Oncology nurses should seek to identify families who may benefit from additional resources to promote QOL.

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