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Health and Quality of Life Outcomes
Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 1/2009

Open Access 01-12-2009 | Research

A predictive model of Health Related Quality of life of parents of chronically ill children: the importance of care-dependency of their child and their support system

Authors: Janneke Hatzmann, Heleen Maurice-Stam, Hugo SA Heymans, Martha A Grootenhuis

Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes | Issue 1/2009

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Abstract

Background

Parents of chronically ill children are at risk for a lower Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). Insight in the dynamics of factors influencing parental HRQoL is necessary for development of interventions. Aim of the present study was to explore the influence of demographic and disease related factors on parental HRQoL, mediated by employment, income, leisure time, holiday and emotional support in a comprehensive model.

Methods

In a cross-sectional design, 543 parents of chronically ill children completed questionnaires. A conceptual model of parental HRQoL was developed. Structural equation modeling was performed to explore the relations in the conceptual model, and to test if the model fitted the data.

Results

The model fitted the data closely (CHISQ(14) = 11.37, p = 0.66; RMSEA = 0.0, 90%CI [0.00;0.034]. The effect of socio-demographic and medical data on HRQoL was mediated by days on holiday (MCS: β = .21) and emotional support (PCS: β = .14; MCS: β = .28). Also, female gender (β = -.10), age (β = .10), being chronically ill as a parent (β = -.34), and care dependency of the child (β = -.14; β = -.15) were directly related to parental HRQoL.

Conclusion

The final model was slightly different from the conceptual model. Main factors explaining parental HRQoL seemed to be emotional support, care dependency, days on holiday and being chronically ill as a parent. Holiday and emotional support mediated the effect of demographic and disease-related factors on HRQoL. Hours of employment, leisure time and household income did not mediate between background characteristics and HRQoL, contrasting the hypotheses.
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Metadata
Title
A predictive model of Health Related Quality of life of parents of chronically ill children: the importance of care-dependency of their child and their support system
Authors
Janneke Hatzmann
Heleen Maurice-Stam
Hugo SA Heymans
Martha A Grootenhuis
Publication date
01-12-2009
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes / Issue 1/2009
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7525
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-7-72

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