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Quality of Life

Differences in mothers’ and fathers’ health-related quality of life after pediatric SCT: a longitudinal study

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 47, pages 855–859 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine longitudinally health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and related factors in mothers and fathers of children who undergo SCT, before, and 1 and 2 years after SCT. A total of 84 parents (49 mothers/35 fathers) of patients diagnosed mainly with leukemia completed a HRQOL measure before SCT, 46 at 1 year (26 mothers/20 fathers) and 50 parents (31 mothers/19 fathers) at 2 years post SCT. Physical and psychosocial HRQOL summary scores are reported. Parents’ age and gender, child's diagnosis, radiation history, age, behavior and physical health were examined. Linear mixed models for repeated measures with a covariate structure were used for analysis. Physical HRQOL did not differ between mothers and fathers or over time. Maternal and paternal psychosocial HRQOL scores improved by 2 years post SCT. Child's behavior problems and poor health, and maternal age (younger) predicted poor maternal psychosocial HRQOL 2 years post SCT. Child's behavior problems, diagnosis and treatment severity predicted poor paternal psychosocial HRQOL. These findings identify similar (child's poor behavior) and differential risk factors (parental young age, disease and treatment severity, and child's poor health status) for poor HRQOL for mothers and fathers. These findings can guide comprehensive family-care interventions before, during and after pediatric SCT.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Karen Sumbler, Tara Smith and Gail Andrews for their help in collecting data for this study, and Jennifer Pinto for her assistance in the preparation of the manuscript. This research was supported by grants from the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, New Initiatives; Elizabeth Lue Bone Marrow Foundation; and the National Cancer Institute of Canada.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    M Barrera & K Hancock

  2. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    M Barrera

  3. Department of Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    M Barrera & E Atenafu

  4. Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    J Doyle

  5. Department of Social Work, Blood & Marrow Transplant Program, Neuro-Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    D Berlin-Romalis

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  1. M Barrera
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  2. E Atenafu
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  3. J Doyle
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  4. D Berlin-Romalis
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  5. K Hancock
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Correspondence to M Barrera.

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Barrera, M., Atenafu, E., Doyle, J. et al. Differences in mothers’ and fathers’ health-related quality of life after pediatric SCT: a longitudinal study. Bone Marrow Transplant 47, 855–859 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2011.190

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