Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Childhood atopic eczema accounted 40% of the referral to pediatric \ndermatology clinic in Malaysia. One of the most important issues that should be discussed \nduring outpatient hospital based clinic is health related quality of life (HRQOL). HRQOL \nwas defined as a broad multidimensional concept that usually includes self-reported \nmeasures of physical and mental health. The current study was aimed to determine the quality of life of children with \natopic eczema, impact of atopic eczema to the family and associated factors for children’s \nquality-of-life. A cross-sectional study conducted at Dermatology clinic, Hospital Raja \nPerempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu, Malaysia from January 2010 to January 2011. Children \nwho were diagnosed as atopic eczema, aged between 5 and 18 years and fulfilled the \ninclusion and exclusion criteria were selected using systematic random sampling. Qualityof- \nlife (Qol) was measured using CDLQI. Family Impact was measured using DFI. The \nChildren’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) and Dermatology Family Impact \n(DFI) questionnaires were specifically designed to measure Qol of children with atopic \neczema and the family impact of the similar disease. Data were analyzed according to \ndistributions. Descriptive analyses were done for quality of life and family impact score \nand univariate and multivariate analyses were done to determine associated factors for Qol. \nResults: A total of 110 participants with 100% response rate entered this study. Majority of \nsubjects suffered mild to moderate disease which comprised of 30.9% and 62.7%, \nrespectively. Only 6.4% had severe atopic eczema. The median (IQR) for quality of life and family impact score was 8.0 (8.0) and 7.0 (9.0), respectively. Disease severity was the \nsignificant associated factor for quality of life in childhood atopic eczema. Regression \nanalyses showed that 15% of the variance in quality of life score could be explained by \ndisease severity score. In the present study, the overall children’s quality of life was not impaired \nbecause not all the items in the children’s quality of life were equally affected. Childhood \natopic eczema also had no impact on family life as majority of parents perceived the \ndisease was not severe. The only significant associated factor for children’s quality of life \nwas disease severity. Measurement of HRQOL among childhood atopic eczema should be \ndone along with objective disease severity assessment.
Author: Ghani, Ahmad Abir Ab
Language: English
Subfield: Dermatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6999191237