Predictors of parental quality of life after child open heart surgery: a 6-month prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively assess parental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its predictors after child open heart surgery.


METHODS
Mothers (n = 135) and fathers (n = 97) of 138 children were assessed at discharge from hospital and 6 months after open heart surgery of their child. Parental HRQoL was compared with population norms. Medical, demographic, and psychosocial predictors of HRQoL were examined.


RESULTS
In both parents, several domains of HRQoL were decreased at their child's hospital discharge with mothers showing lower HRQoL than fathers. Mental domains were more affected than physical domains. At 6 months, parental HRQoL was within or above population norms. At discharge, symptoms of post-traumatic stress and at 6 months a high impact of the child's disease on family life were associated with low mental HRQoL in both parents. In mothers, lower socioeconomic status and foreign nationality were also associated with a higher risk for low mental HRQoL at discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents' mental HRQoL is low in the immediate period after their child's open heart surgery but normalizes after 6 months. However, parents in whom the child's disease has a high impact on their family life are at increased risk for persistent low mental HRQoL.
Landolt
Markus A
MA
Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. markus.landolt@kispi.uzh.ch
Buechel
Emanuela Valsangiacomo
EV
Latal
Beatrice
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors