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Updated: Aug 17, 2025
Manufacture of a Multi-Purpose Low-Cost Animal Bench-Model for Teaching Tracheostomy
Published on: May 18, 2019
Caregiver quality of life after pediatric tracheostomy
Erin M Wynings1, Stephen R Chorney2, Rebecca L Brooks2
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Objective:
To determine the impact of a child with a tracheostomy on caregiver quality of life.
Methods:
A repeated cross-sectional analysis included families with tracheostomy-dependent children between 2019 and 2021. Caregivers were surveyed using the PedsQL™ Family Impact Module with assessments at tracheostomy placement and during ambulatory office visits.
Results:
Two-hundred and fifty-five surveys were performed with 66 at tracheostomy placement (26%) and 189 at follow-up visits (74%). Compared to families with healthy children, total scores at placement (77.2 vs. 87.6, P < .001) and follow-up visits (78.9 vs. 87.6, P < .001) were significantly lower among pediatric tracheostomy families. Caregivers were likely to report significant improvement in emotional functioning (6.2 points; 95% CI: 0.5-12, P = .03) and worry (9 points, 95% CI: 2.1-15.9, P = .01) over time. Demographic variables demonstrated no confounding or interactive effects.
Conclusions:
The presence of a tracheostomy is associated with lower caregiver quality of life scores in the short- and long-term compared to caregivers of healthy children. Providers should be sensitive to these challenges and provide appropriate support for families of tracheostomy-dependent children.
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