title: Quality of life of children and adolescents after kidney or liver transplantation: child, parents and caregiver's point of view.
abstract: A cross-sectional study was performed to assess quality of life (QoL) after kidney or liver transplantation during childhood. Self-questionnaires explored children, adolescent and parent QoL. Seventy-five transplant children, 36 transplant adolescents, 67 mothers, 34 fathers and 67 caregivers filled out the questionnaires; they were compared with a reference population. Children reported a rather good QoL, but their extra-family involvement appeared not as satisfactory as that of the reference population children. Adolescents reported a very high QoL when completing the structured format scale; however, their responses to open-ended questions showed qualitative differences compared with those of a reference population: they expressed concern about their body or health, less pleasure than ordinary adolescents to manage by themselves, and a poor relationship with peers. Mothers indicated a deep impact of the child's illness on their own QoL, and the need for psychological support. In conclusion, a rather good QoL is a long-lasting feature of kidney and liver transplantation in children. Such an assessment is mandatory to identify remaining impairments in some selected areas, either in the recipient or family.
authors.affiliation: SCRIPT INSERM, Lyon France, MAPI Research Institute, Lyon, France. manificat@club-internet.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manificat
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dazord
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cochat
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Plainguet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Debray
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires