BACKGROUND: Parents of chronically ill children face numerous burdens in daily life, which can impair their quality of life (QoL) significantly. Therefore in family-oriented rehabilitation, not only the children themselves, but also their parents receive interventions. These aim at stabilizing parents both mentally and physically to enable them to support their children in the best possible way. This study investigates the effects of an inpatient family-oriented rehabilitation program on the QoL of parents of chronically ill children. PATIENTS: A consecutive sample of 231 mothers and 155 fathers of children suffering from cancer, cardiac diseases or cystic fibrosis participated in the study. METHOD: In a prospective longitudinal study, parental QoL was repeatedly assessed using the Ulm Quality of Life Inventory for Parents (ULQIE) at three different time points: admission to the rehabilitation clinic, discharge after four weeks of inpatient treatment, and at a six-month follow-up. RESULTS: Parental QoL increased markedly during rehabilitation treatment (mothers eta (2)=.326, fathers eta (2)=.249). Moreover, six months after the intervention, parental quality of life was still markedly improved compared to baseline assessment (mothers eta (2)=.259, fathers eta (2)=.069). The child's diagnosis had no effect on the level and course of parental QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Taking part in family-oriented rehabilitation can improve the QoL of parents of children suffering from cancer, cardiac diseases or cystic fibrosis. Such programs could be expected to affect the way chronically ill children cope with their condition and this should be examined in future studies.
BACKGROUND: Parents of chronically ill children face numerous burdens in daily life, which can impair their quality of life (QoL) significantly. Therefore in family-oriented rehabilitation, not only the children themselves, but also their parents receive interventions. These aim at stabilizing parents both mentally and physically to enable them to support their children in the best possible way. This study investigates the effects of an inpatient family-oriented rehabilitation program on the QoL of parents of chronically ill children. PATIENTS: A consecutive sample of 231 mothers and 155 fathers of children suffering from cancer, cardiac diseases or cystic fibrosis participated in the study. METHOD: In a prospective longitudinal study, parental QoL was repeatedly assessed using the Ulm Quality of Life Inventory for Parents (ULQIE) at three different time points: admission to the rehabilitation clinic, discharge after four weeks of inpatient treatment, and at a six-month follow-up. RESULTS: Parental QoL increased markedly during rehabilitation treatment (mothers eta (2)=.326, fathers eta (2)=.249). Moreover, six months after the intervention, parental quality of life was still markedly improved compared to baseline assessment (mothers eta (2)=.259, fathers eta (2)=.069). The child's diagnosis had no effect on the level and course of parental QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Taking part in family-oriented rehabilitation can improve the QoL of parents of children suffering from cancer, cardiac diseases or cystic fibrosis. Such programs could be expected to affect the way chronically ill children cope with their condition and this should be examined in future studies.
Authors: Marisa Garcia Rodrigues; Matilde Monteiro Soares; José Daniel Rodrigues; Luís Filipe Azevedo; Pedro Pereira Rodrigues; José Carlos Areias; Maria Emília Areias Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2021-09-05 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Astrid Fidika; Marion Herle; Christine Lehmann; Christa Weiss; Christine Knaevelsrud; Lutz Goldbeck Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2015-02-04 Impact factor: 3.186
Authors: Johannes Boettcher; Bonnie Filter; Jonas Denecke; Amra Hot; Anne Daubmann; Antonia Zapf; Karl Wegscheider; Jan Zeidler; J-Matthias Graf von der Schulenburg; Monika Bullinger; Miriam Rassenhofer; Michael Schulte-Markwort; Silke Wiegand-Grefe Journal: BMC Fam Pract Date: 2020-11-20 Impact factor: 2.497