title: Health-related quality of life measurement in siblings of children with physical chronic illness: a systematic review.
abstract: The diagnosis of a physical chronic illness during childhood can cause stressors and changes within the family system that place family members at-risk for impaired functioning. The objective of the present study was to perform a systematic review on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of siblings of children with physical chronic health conditions. Three independent reviewers performed the search in the databases PsycINFO and PubMed, which resulted in 9 studies meeting full inclusion criteria. Overall, sibling HRQOL was better than children with a physical chronic illness. Parents of siblings of children with physical chronic illness tended to rate sibling HRQOL better than siblings self-reports. Greater disease severity emerged as a potential risk factor for impaired sibling HRQOL. These data underscore the importance of assessing sibling HRQOL in families with a child who has been diagnosed with a physical chronic illness. Future research is needed in this area with larger sibling samples and across a greater variety of childhood chronic illnesses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.
authors.forename: Christine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Limbers
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skipper
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D012801:Sibling Relations; D055815:Young Adult