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Health-related quality of life: changes in children undergoing chemotherapy

Brie Ann Banks1, Nicholas J Barrowman, Robert Klaassen

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
|April 9, 2008
PubMed

Insights

The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) is the most responsive measure for assessing health-related quality of life (HRQL) changes in children undergoing chemotherapy. This study compared PedsQL, CHQ, and HUI, finding PedsQL superior for this population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Health-Related Quality of Life Research
  • Measurement Responsiveness

Background:

  • Limited data exists on health-related quality of life (HRQL) changes in pediatric cancer patients during chemotherapy.
  • There is a lack of consensus on the most suitable HRQL measures for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the responsiveness of three pediatric HRQL measures: the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), the Child's Health Questionnaire (CHQ), and the Health Utilities Index (HUI).

Main Methods:

  • Pediatric oncology patients and their parents completed PedsQL, CHQ, and HUI questionnaires weekly for 4 weeks, starting early in the chemotherapy cycle.
  • Data collection occurred at 1-week intervals over a 4-week period during chemotherapy treatment.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-nine pediatric patients, primarily with leukemia, were enrolled. Parent proxy reports showed mean changes in PedsQL (generic: 17; cancer module: 12).
  • Mean changes for CHQ were 6 (physical functioning) and 2 (psychosocial), while HUI 2 showed 3 and HUI 3 showed 4.
  • PedsQL generic scores demonstrated significantly greater responsiveness compared to HUI 2, HUI 3, and the CHQ psychosocial scale (P<0.01).

Conclusions:

  • The PedsQL is the most responsive measure for assessing changes in health-related quality of life in a heterogeneous pediatric oncology population undergoing chemotherapy.
  • For repeated HRQL measurements in pediatric cancer patients, PedsQL demonstrates superior responsiveness over CHQ and HUI.
Abstract

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