A study of health-related quality of life in pediatric atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Background: Children of atopic dermatitis (AD) have difficulties in social adaptation and academic achievements. Health related quality of life (HRQOL) is a multidimensional measure not restricted to physical effects of disease or its treatment. Objective: We sought to assess, through validated questionnaire sets, the impact of AD on the HRQOL of children and their parents or caregivers. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 85 children with physician diagnosed AD recruited from the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Unit, Children's Hospital, Ain Shams University from May 2018 to December 2019. HRQOL of the patients was assessed using the Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) and that of parents/caregivers was assessed using the Family Dermatology Life Quality Index (FDLQI). Results: Analysing the CDLQI revealed that more than half of the studied sample (55.4%) had an extremely affected quality of life (QOL). The most affected physical aspects were itching and pain. There was statistically significant effect of face eczema on QOL of children. We also found that 65.9% of parents/caregivers had a significantly affected QOL score and the most frequently reported problems were emotional distress and treatment burden. The presence of other allergies in the affected child, other sib affection and adverse effects of treatment were the most significant distressing factors on the QOL of parents/caregivers. Poor QOL of children also impacted their parents’ mental and physical health .
Conclusion: AD affects the QOL of both children and their guardians in many aspects. There is necessity to pay more attention to the psychological and social aspects in the children with AD and to respect their parents’ psychosocial impact and financial burden within the integrated management plans of AD.