Frontiers in Public Health (Jun 2023)

Health-related quality of life and functionality in primary caregiver of surviving pediatric COVID-19

  • Fernanda Martins,
  • Fernanda Martins,
  • Fernanda T. Gonçalves,
  • Marta Imamura,
  • Marta Imamura,
  • Daniela S. Barboza,
  • Denise Matheus,
  • Maria Fernanda B. Pereira,
  • Heloisa H. S. Marques,
  • Simone Correa-Silva,
  • Marilia M. Montenegro,
  • Thais T. Fink,
  • Livia Lindoso,
  • Vera Bain,
  • Juliana C. O. A. Ferreira,
  • Camilla Astley,
  • Olivia M. Matsuo,
  • Priscila Suguita,
  • Vitor Trindade,
  • Camila S. Y. Paula,
  • Nadia Litvinov,
  • Patricia Palmeira,
  • Bruno Gualano,
  • Artur F. Delgado,
  • Magda Carneiro-Sampaio,
  • Silvana Forsait,
  • Vicente Odone-Filho,
  • Leila Antonangelo,
  • Linamara R. Battistella,
  • Linamara R. Battistella,
  • Clovis A. Silva

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1117854
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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ObjectivesTo prospectively assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL), global functionality, and disability in primary caregivers of surviving children and adolescents after COVID-19.MethodsA longitudinal observational study was carried out on primary caregivers of surviving pediatric post-COVID-19 patients (n = 51) and subjects without COVID-19 (n = 60). EuroQol five-dimension five-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) and 12-question WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) were answered for both groups. The univariate regression analysis was carried out using SPSS (v 20) and significance was established at 5%.ResultsThe median duration between COVID-19 diagnosis in children and adolescents and longitudinal follow-up visits was 4.4 months (0.8–10.7). The median age of children and adolescents caregivers with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 was similar to primary caregivers of subjects without laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 [43.2 (31.6–60.9) vs. 41.5 (21.6–54.8) years, p = 0.08], as well as similar female sex (p = 1.00), level of schooling (p = 0.11), social assistance program (p = 0.28), family income/month U$ (p = 0.25) and the number of household’s members in the residence (p = 0.68). The frequency of slight to extreme problems (level ≥ 2) of the pain/discomfort domain according to EQ-5D-5L score was significantly higher in the former group [74% vs. 52.5%, p = 0.03, OR = 2.57 (1.14–5.96)]. The frequency of disability according to WHODAS 2.0 total score was similar to those without disability and unknown (p = 0.79); however, with a very high disability in both groups (72.5% and 78.3%). Further analysis of primary caregivers of children and adolescents with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) [n = 12/51 (23%)] compared to those without PCC [n = 39/51(77%)] revealed no differences between demographic data, EQ-5D-5L and WHODAS 2.0 scores in both groups (p > 0.05).ConclusionWe longitudinally demonstrated that pain/discomfort were predominantly reported in approximately 75% of primary caregiver of COVID-19 patients, with high disability in approximately three-quarters of both caregiver groups. These data emphasized the prospective and systematic caregiver burden evaluation relevance of pediatric COVID-19.

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