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Health-related quality of life in children with presumptive TB
M G Anthony1, L S Johnson1,2, M van Niekerk1
1Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
Insights
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) was high, yet qualitative insights revealed issues not captured by quantitative tools, indicating a need for improved HRQoL assessments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Quality of Life Research
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Respiratory illnesses, including pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), significantly impact child morbidity.
- Understanding the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with presumptive PTB is crucial for comprehensive care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children diagnosed with or suspected of having pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).
- To compare HRQoL between children with PTB and symptomatic controls without TB.
Main Methods:
- Children aged 0-13 years with presumptive PTB were enrolled, including those starting TB treatment and symptomatic controls.
- Quantitative HRQoL data were collected using the TANDI and EQ-5D-Y instruments.
- Qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews with caregivers for thematic analysis.
Main Results:
- Quantitative data from 201 children indicated high median HRQoL scores (TANDI VAS: 90%; EQ-5D-Y VAS: 95%).
- Qualitative interviews revealed caregiver-reported decreased energy, eating difficulties, and increased sleep, not fully captured quantitatively.
- No significant differences in HRQoL were found between children with confirmed PTB and symptomatic controls.
Conclusions:
- Children with presumptive PTB exhibit high HRQoL based on quantitative measures.
- Discrepancies between quantitative and qualitative findings highlight limitations in current HRQoL assessment tools for pediatric populations.
- Further research is needed to refine HRQoL measures for children with respiratory illnesses.
Background:
Respiratory illnesses, including pulmonary TB (PTB), cause significant morbidity. We aimed to understand the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with presumptive PTB.
Methods:
Children aged 0-13 years presenting with presumptive PTB were enrolled. This study includes children who started TB treatment and children in whom TB was excluded (symptomatic controls). Quantitative data were collected using the Toddler and Infant quality of life Instrument (TANDI) (<3 years) and European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions-Youth (EQ-5D-Y) (>3 years) measures. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews using thematic analysis.
Results:
Quantitative data from caregivers of 201 children (TANDI: n = 170; EQ-5D-Y: n = 31) showed 77 (38.3%) were diagnosed with TB, while 124 (61.7%) were symptomatic controls. Qualitative data from 15 caregivers of 21 children included 10 (67%) children with TB and 5 (33%) symptomatic controls. The median TANDI Visual Analogue Score (VAS) for overall health was 90% (IQR 80-100); the EQ-5D-Y VAS median was 95% (IQR 80-100). Caregivers described decreased energy, difficulty eating, and increased sleep using qualitative interviews, which were not reflected in the quantitative data. No differences were found between children with TB and symptomatic controls.
Conclusions:
HRQoL was high in children with TB, but discrepancies between quantitative and qualitative measures highlight the limitations of the current HRQoL measures.
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