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The impact of a peer support group for children with rheumatic heart disease in Uganda
Amy Scheel1, Andrea Beaton1, Emmy Okello2
1Children's National Health System, Department of Cardiology, Washington DC, USA.
Insights
Peer-support groups significantly improved health-related quality of life, social support, and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) knowledge in children. These groups help normalize HRQOL and boost psychosocial well-being.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Psychosocial Health
- Health Education
Background:
- Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) significantly impacts children's quality of life and social well-being.
- Effective interventions are needed to address the psychosocial challenges faced by children with RHD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a peer-support group intervention for children diagnosed with RHD.
- To assess the impact on disease knowledge, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and social support.
Main Methods:
- A 6-month monthly peer-support group program was implemented for children with RHD receiving penicillin injections.
- Intervention included cooperative play, team-building activities, RHD education, and emotional support.
- Pre- and post-intervention assessments used RHD knowledge tests, PedsQL™4.0 for HRQOL, and the Hawthorne Friendship Scale for social support.
Main Results:
- 42 participants completed the study, showing significant improvements across all measured outcomes.
- Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores increased significantly (p<0.001), including physical, social, and school functioning.
- Social support (Friendship Scale scores) and RHD knowledge also demonstrated significant increases (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
- Peer-support groups are effective in enhancing HRQOL, social support, and RHD knowledge among pediatric patients.
- These groups can normalize diminished HRQOL and mitigate negative psychosocial effects of RHD.
- Integrating peer support with RHD screening may improve psychosocial outcomes for early-diagnosed children.
Objective:
To assess the impact of a peer-support group on knowledge, quality of life, and social support for children with rheumatic heart disease (RHD).
Methods:
Children diagnosed with RHD and receiving 4-weekly injectable penicillin were invited to participate in a monthly support group for 6 months. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included a baseline RHD knowledge assessment, a measure of health related quality of life (HRQOL) (PedsQLTM4.0), and a measure of social support (Hawthorne Friendship Scale). Groups incorporated elements of cooperative play and team building, RHD education, and emotional support.
Results:
42 participants attended ≥3 groups and were included in the analyses. Attending support groups resulted in increased total HRQOL scores (60.3v 70.2, p<0.001), as well as the following HRQOL sub-scores (physical functioning 55.3v 68.6 (p<0.001), social functioning 64.2v 75.8 (p<0.001) and school functioning 59.2v 69.1 (p=0.001)). Significant increases in Friendship Scale scores (15.4v 19.7, p<0.001) and RHD Knowledge scores were observed (3.6v 6.4, p<0.001).
Conclusions:
Peer-support groups may be effective at normalizing decreased HRQOL scores and increasing RHD disease knowledge and social support.
Practical Implications:
Peer-support groups implemented in conjunction with RHD screening can minimize the negative psychosocial effects associated with early RHD detection.
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