2 research outputs found
Health-related quality of life in pediatric patients with leukemia in Singapore: a cross-sectional pilot study
There has been a paradigm shift in health service delivery to a more holistic approach, which
considers Quality of Life (QoL) and overall functioning. Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL)
is a multidimensional construct that encompasses physical functioning as well as psychosocial
aspects of emotional and social functioning. This study explored factors related to HRQoL in Asian
pediatric patients with leukemia in Singapore. The available variables included: age, treatment
duration, household income, gender, ethnicity, religion, diagnosis, and phase of treatment. It is
hypothesized that the relationships will be significant. In the current study, there were 60 patients
(60% males) with leukemia; their ages ranged from 1 to 21 years (Mean = 8.03, Standard Deviation
= 4.55). The hypothesis was partially supported. Age had a significant positive relationship with
physical functioning, r(60) = 0.28, p < 0.05, physical health, r(60) = 0.28, p < 0.05, and the total HRQoL
score, r(60) = 0.29, p < 0.05. Treatment duration had a positive relationship with school functioning,
r(60) = 0.28, p < 0.05. All other correlations were statistically non-significant. The effects of the
available psychosocial variables of gender, ethnicity, and religion were examined on scores from the
Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Ethnicity had a significant effect on social functioning,
U = 292.00, p < 0.05, r = 0.3 (medium effect size). Specifically, Chinese (Median = 85.00, n = 33) had
significantly higher scores on social functioning than others (Median = 70.00, n = 27). The remaining
comparisons were statistically non-significant. The current findings added to QoL research, and
provided an impetus for more research in the area of HRQoL for children with leukemia in Singapore