Eva María Tejada-Ortigosa1, Katherine Flores-Rojas2, Laura Moreno-Quintana1, María Carmen Muñoz-Villanueva3, Juan Luis Pérez-Navero1, Mercedes Gil-Campos4. 1. Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, España. 2. Unidad de Metabolismo Infantil, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Córdoba, España. 3. Unidad de Metodología de la Investigación, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, España. 4. Unidad de Metabolismo Infantil, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Córdoba, España. Electronic address: mercedes_gil_campos@yahoo.es.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Rare diseases are a challenge for public health due to the lack of information on their magnitude. These include inborn errors of metabolism. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life and social, health, economic, and educational needs of a group of paediatric patients with inborn errors of metabolism attended to in a hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A questionnaire was developed based on the needs and expectations, based mainly on the Andalusian Plan for Rare Diseases. An analysis was performed on the variables of health, socioeconomic, and educational needs of 65 paediatric patients with inborn errors of metabolism. RESULTS: The respondents showed few possibilities to cope with medication (61%), special diet (86%), and other health benefits (79%). Just under half of them (43%) believed that the quality of family life had been greatly reduced since the onset of the disease. The main caregiver was the mother in 61.5% of cases, compared to 1.5% of cases in which it was the father. The primary caregivers had to reduce their working hours or give up their job in 77% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: The multidisciplinary treatment is affected by the inability of families to cope with a high cost, as well as with difficult access to these resources. In addition, there is great impact on the quality of life of patients, and their caregivers. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the results of government health and socio-economic support plans for patients with rare diseases, and make a real response to their needs.
INTRODUCTION: Rare diseases are a challenge for public health due to the lack of information on their magnitude. These include inborn errors of metabolism. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life and social, health, economic, and educational needs of a group of paediatric patients with inborn errors of metabolism attended to in a hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A questionnaire was developed based on the needs and expectations, based mainly on the Andalusian Plan for Rare Diseases. An analysis was performed on the variables of health, socioeconomic, and educational needs of 65 paediatric patients with inborn errors of metabolism. RESULTS: The respondents showed few possibilities to cope with medication (61%), special diet (86%), and other health benefits (79%). Just under half of them (43%) believed that the quality of family life had been greatly reduced since the onset of the disease. The main caregiver was the mother in 61.5% of cases, compared to 1.5% of cases in which it was the father. The primary caregivers had to reduce their working hours or give up their job in 77% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: The multidisciplinary treatment is affected by the inability of families to cope with a high cost, as well as with difficult access to these resources. In addition, there is great impact on the quality of life of patients, and their caregivers. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the results of government health and socio-economic support plans for patients with rare diseases, and make a real response to their needs.
Keywords:
Apoyo familiar; Apoyo social; Calidad de vida; Children; Enfermedades raras; Errores innatos del metabolismo; Family support; Health system; Inborn errors of metabolism; Niños; Padres; Parents; Quality of life; Rare diseases; Sistema sanitario; Social support
Authors: Sarah Berrocoso; Imanol Amayra; Esther Lázaro; Oscar Martínez; Juan Francisco López-Paz; Maitane García; Manuel Pérez; Mohammad Al-Rashaida; Alicia Aurora Rodríguez; Paula Maria Luna; Paula Pérez-Núñez; Raquel Blanco; Julián Nevado Journal: Orphanet J Rare Dis Date: 2020-10-19 Impact factor: 4.123