Quality of life in young people with cystic fibrosis: effects of hospitalization, age and gender, and differences in parent/child perceptions.
BACKGROUND
The Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised version (CFQ-R) was used to evaluate age/gender effects on quality of life (QOL) in Australian young people with cystic fibrosis (CF) who were inpatients/outpatients aged 6-18 years. Parent/child agreement was also examined.


METHODS
The CFQ-R was completed by 18 outpatients, and 15 inpatients at admission for an acute pulmonary exacerbation to a tertiary hospital, Brisbane, Australia, as well as by parents of those aged 6-13 years.


RESULTS
Inpatients scored significantly lower than outpatients for the CFQ-R domains 'emotional state', 'social', 'body image' and 'respiratory symptoms'. Young people aged 6-13 years scored significantly better than those aged 14-18 years for 'emotional state', 'body image' and 'treatment burden'. Women perceived less 'treatment burden' than did men. Young people aged 6-13 years perceived less 'treatment burden' than did their parents. A significant interaction occurred between child/parent report and gender for 'emotional state' and 'eating disturbances'.


CONCLUSIONS
The CFQ-R found differences between inpatients and outpatients and between younger and older paediatric patients with CF, and between parent and child perceptions of QOL.
Hegarty
M
M
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia.
Macdonald
J
J
Watter
P
P
Wilson
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001828:Body Image; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011793:Queensland; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires