Quality of life related to health in children and adolescents with cancer treated at Oncohematology services Havana, 2011-2013

Abstract

Introduction: The impact and psychological repercussion of cancer in childhood justify the importance of the researches on quality of life related to patients’ health. Objective: Describe the researches with socio-demographic and clinical variables on onco-pediatric patients who are under oncohematological services in Havana from 2011 to 2013. Material and Methods: A descriptive research with 150 children that fulfill the inclusion criteria. A system of life quality evaluation for children who suffer from cancer was applied; this system of evaluation was developed in Cuba. Punctual and at interval appraisals were done to the 95% of the global arithmetic average and by dimension through socio-demographic and clinical variables. Different test were used; t student for independent samples, the ANOVA of one way and the Scheffe. Results: The global average of the quality of life related to health was 3, 49. The worst evolutions were on the dimension of symptoms associated to treatment (5, 88) and for preoccupations. There were significant differences in different dimensions for socio-demographic and clinical variables. Conclusions: The patients showed high and average levels of quality of life related to health. The dimensions: symptoms associated to treatment, preoccupations, emotional symptoms, validity and primary symptoms were the worst evaluated dimensions. Academic level, type of treatment, and time of evolution differentiate patients with a tendency to have a better or worse global quality of life related to health. Key words: oncohematology, quality of life related with health, pediatrics, cancer, pediatric oncology.