Qualidade de vida e funcionalidade em crianças e adolescentes com câncer

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The discovering of cancer brings fear of suffering, mutilation and insecurity regarding the future due to the risk of death. Children and their family have access to these fears and their lives and routines are transformed with this health condition. OBJECTIVE: To describe the quality of life and functionality of children and adolescents with cancer, as well as the relationship between these factors. METHODS: This was an observational cross-sectional study that included 33 children and adolescents from 2 to 18 years old, of both sexes, diagnosed with any type of cancer who were undergoing treatment or control of the disease. The following questionnaires were used: Pediatric Cancer Quality of Life Inventory Module (PedsQL) and Pediatric Disability Assessment Inventory - Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT). RESULTS: In the exploratory analysis of the quality of life the values were bellow normative standards: total PedsQL answered by parents (57.46% [17.54]), and PedsQL answered by children (60.69% [15.95]). Pearson's simple contribution analysis showed that the association between parent and child perception is strong: r = 0.790. According to logistic regression, mobility was worse in children after eight years old (OR = 22.00; CI = 3.42-141.73; p <0.0001). The correlation analysis between quality of life and functionality was performed and the Pearson correlation test between PEDI-CAT and PedsQL showed poor to moderate correlations: 0.214 <r <0.533. CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents with malignant neoplasms have worst quality of life and functionality, in the mobility domain, due to the disease and its treatment. However, the quality of life is not correlated with the functionality of children and adolescents with cancer. Healthcare for mobility and treatment for these patients at the beginning of cancer treatment and extended to the phase of control of disease have to be stablished.