Abstract

Background: The diagnosis of childhood cancer has a devastating effect on parents. It causes a major shift in lifestyle,and psychological reality of parents. Treatment of childhood cancer is much more intense, associated with more toxicity,and need more supportive care. It is assumed that parents of children with cancer have their quality of life (QOL),deranged in comparison to healthy general population. However, empirical evidence to support this assumption is weak.,
Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the QOL among parents of diagnosed childhood cancer in comparison,to parents of children with minor ailments.
Materials and Methods: It was an observational cross-sectional study carried,in a tertiary care centre at Kolkata. We assumed a mean difference of 20 units in QOL, sample size calculated to be 40,participants in each group, i.e., parent of children with cancer versus matched normal healthy population. The World,Health Organization QOL-BREF questionnaire (Bangla Version) was used to assess the QOL. Statistical analysis used:,Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel 2016. Unpaired t-test applied to compare the means.
Results: The QOL,of parents of childhood cancer was found to be significantly impaired in psychological domain (42.3 ± 6.4 vs. 57.4 ± 10.5,,t = 7.71, P < 0.000), social relationship domain (53.7 ± 8.9 vs. 69.6 ± 7.3, t = 8.68, P < 0.000) and environmental domain,(48.8 ± 7.3 vs. 62.3 ± 5.8, t = 9.01, P < 0.000). Gender, educational qualification, socioeconomic status, and place of,residence had shown no significant difference on QOL of participants.
Conclusions: QOL was found to be deranged in,parents of children with cancer. There is a felt need to facilitate crisis intervention strategies that help parents adjust to the,stress associated with childhood cancer.