Psychosocial aspects of children and families of children treated with automated peritoneal dialysis.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to analyze psychosocial aspects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in children treated with automated peritoneal dialysis (APD).


METHODS
The study assessed 41 children > 2 (range 2.1-18) years of age and their parents. Data concerning the illness and sociodemographic parameters were collected. Patients completed the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and their parents the PedsQL-proxy version, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS), and Caregiver's Burden Scale (CBS).


RESULTS
Parents rated their children's overall health-related quality of life (QoL) as well as their physical and emotional functioning lower than the patients themselves. The majority of primary caregivers had a medium level of the total burden index in the CBS and higher values in the scales need for support and perceived available support than in the received support (BSSS). In the GHQ-12, 51.2% of primary caregivers had scores >2 points, which indicated the possible occurrence of abnormal mental functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
Financial support for patients' families is necessary. Parents who provide primary care to children on PD require, above all, emotional support and assistance in self-fulfilment. More than half of them may have impaired mental function. There is the strong need to provide continuous psychological care for caregivers. Differences in perception of the children's activity in varied areas by the patients themselves and their caregivers may contribute to further problems within families.
Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Wrocław Medical University, ul. Borowska 213, 50-556, Wrocław, Poland, katarzyna.kilis-pstrusinska@am.wroc.pl.
Katarzyna
K
Kiliś-Pstrusińska
Anna
A
Wasilewska
Anna
A
Medyńska
Irena
I
Bałasz-Chmielewska
Ryszard
R
Grenda
Agnieszka
A
Kluska-Jóźwiak
Beata
B
Leszczyńska
Ilona
I
Olszak-Szot
Monika
M
Miklaszewska
Maria
M
Szczepańska
Marcin
M
Tkaczyk
Agnieszka
A
Urzykowska
Katarzyna
K
Zachwieja
Maria
M
Zajączkowska
Helena
H
Ziółkowska
Ilona
I
Zagożdżon
Danuta
D
Zwolińska
D000293:Adolescent; D001331:Automation; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D012574:Schools; D012919:Social Behavior; D012944:Social Support; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology