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Illness uncertainty and quality of life in children with cancer

Michelle A Fortier1, Melissa L Batista, Aditi Wahi

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA. mfortier@uci.edu

Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
|May 15, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Illness uncertainty negatively impacts quality of life in children with cancer. Reducing uncertainty through clear communication may improve their well-being and functioning.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Child Psychology
  • Health Outcomes Research

Background:

  • Illness uncertainty is common in pediatric cancer patients and linked to psychological distress.
  • The impact of illness uncertainty on quality of life (QOL) in these children is not well understood.
  • This study investigates illness uncertainty as a predictor of QOL in children with cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if illness uncertainty predicts health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in pediatric cancer patients.
  • To examine the association between child-reported illness uncertainty and their HRQOL.
  • To explore the relationship between illness uncertainty and cancer-specific QOL.

Main Methods:

  • 120 children (aged 8-18) undergoing cancer treatment participated.
  • Participants completed validated measures of illness uncertainty, pain, anxiety, and QOL.
  • Data were collected during routine visits at a pediatric cancer center.

Main Results:

  • Illness uncertainty was significantly associated with child age and overall HRQOL (P<0.001).
  • Regression analyses confirmed that illness uncertainty predicted both child-reported and parent-reported QOL (P<0.01), even after controlling for age, anxiety, and pain.
  • No significant associations were found with treatment status, sex, or household income.

Conclusions:

  • Illness uncertainty is prevalent in children with cancer and is a significant predictor of lower quality of life.
  • Enhanced communication regarding disease status, treatment, and prognosis may reduce uncertainty.
  • Interventions aimed at alleviating uncertainty could improve the functioning and well-being of pediatric cancer patients.
Abstract

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