Quality of life in parents of children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder in Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVE
There is no study on the quality of life (QOL) of parents of children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although QOL is increasingly gaining more attention and the interactions between children and their parents are bi-directional. The aim of the present study was therefore to survey the QOL of parents of children with ADHD in Hong Kong, and explore the relationships of sociodemographic and clinical variables with QOL.


METHODS
Seventy-seven parents of children with ADHD were consecutively selected and the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the parents and their children were assessed.


RESULTS
Compared with the general population in Hong Kong, significantly lower scores in physical, psychological, social and environmental QOL domains were found in the parents of children with ADHD. On multivariate analysis, for the children with ADHD, the severity of emotional and hyperactivity/inattention symptoms, and having a comorbid pervasive developmental disorder were significantly correlated with one or more domains of QOL; while for the parents, educational level, household monthly income and having major medical conditions were significantly correlated with one or more domains of QOL.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents of children with ADHD have low QOL and research is needed to understand the underlying problems.
Xiang
Yu-Tao
YT
Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. xyutly@cuhk.edu.hk
Luk
Ernest S L
ES
Lai
Kelly Y C
KY
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors