title: Health-related quality of life of pediatric renal transplant recipientsand their parents: the role of associated factors and clinical counseling.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluates the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of pediatric renal transplant recipients and their parents and investigates the effects of clinical, socioeconomic, and psychological factors as well as continuous counseling on the HRQoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged 8-17 years (mean: 14.9 ± 2.9) were enrolled. Clinical and demographic data were noted. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and Turkish version of the Kinder Lebensqualität Fragebogen (KINDL) questionnaire for children and the BDI, RSES, parent-proxy version of KINDL, and Short-Form 36 (SF-36) for parents were applied (step 1). Following a 1-year counseling program, the tests were repeated (step 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Child-self and parent-proxy KINDL scores were optimal with no difference between periods (for child-self and parent-proxy scores, P > 0.05). Parent SF-36 scores indicated optimal results. Parent RSES scores decreased in step 2 (P < 0.05). The BDI scores were higher in parents than children in both periods (P < 0.05 for step 1 and P < 0.01 for step 2). Higher creatinine levels, lower monthly income, and urological comorbidities modified the HRQoL negatively in step 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continuous education with psychosocial counseling carries importance in improving HRQoL in the posttransplant period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bahar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Büyükkaragöz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Necla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buyan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nahide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doğrucan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Çelik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D010290:Parents; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey
keywords: Renal transplantation; children; counseling; health-related quality of life