[Instrument to measure quality of life based on daily performance in pediatric patients with leukemia]

The objective of this study was to determine the validity of a questionnaire to measure daily performance as an evaluation of quality of life in pediatric leukemia patients. A questionnaire of the daily activities of a child according to Lickert's criteria was done. A pilot survey was performed in patients without a chronic or disabling disease in order to assess its validity. The impression of the medical attendance of each pediatric patient with leukemia, of their daily performance, was compared with the results of the instrument. A trained nurse applied the questionnaire to 60 mothers of patients (29 female/31 male) as outpatients during the clinical review. Fifteen questionnaires were applied twice to evaluate its consistency. According to the results, 77% of the patients were in remission. 15% in relapse, and 8% during induction to remission. The mean age of the patients was 9 = 3.6 years, ranging from 2-16 years. One hundred percent of the patients obtained a satisfactory grade greater than 35 points. In conclusion, the questionnaire identified adequately the level of the daily performance in addition to the specific affected areas of the patients with leukemia. Our findings are that their level of performance is satisfactory and is not affected because of the disease or the phase of the treatment.