title: Determinants of quality of life outcomes for survivors of pediatric brain tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To describe the quality of life (QOL) of pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTSs) prospectively and to identify potential medical, personal and family contextual factors associated with QOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-one PBTSs (8-16 years) who were off treatment and attending a regular classroom participated. Self- and caregiver-proxy-reported on QOL at baseline, 2 and 8 months. At baseline, cognitive, executive function, attention and memory, medical and demographics information were attained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvements over time in PBTS's emotional QOL were self- and proxy-reported (P < 0.01) and global QOL proxy-reported (P = 0.04). Receiving cranial irradiation therapy (CIT) and poor behavioral regulation predicted poor global QOL scores reported by both informants (P < 0.017). Poor behavioral regulation also predicted poor self-reported school functioning, and poor proxy-reported emotional and social QOL (P < 0.037). Boys reported better emotional QOL (P = 0.029), and PBTSs over 11 years old were reported to have better emotion and school-related QOL. Finally, being non-White and having low income predicted poor self-reported global and emotional QOL (P = 0.041).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Receiving CIT, having poor behavioral regulation, being a female, under 11 years old and coming from low-income, non-White families place PBTSs at risk for poor QOL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.|Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Maru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Eshetu G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Atenafu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.|Division of Hematology/Oncology, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.|Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Janzen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|Division of Hematology/Oncology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.|Division of Hematology/Oncology, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cataudella
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.|Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.|Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Amani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Strother
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|Division of Hematology/Oncology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McConnell
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.|Division of Hematology/Oncology, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Downie
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hukin
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Shayna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zelcer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: childhood cancer; pediatric brain tumor survivors; predictors of quality of life; quality of life; self- and caregiver-reported outcomes