Quality of life of former preterm adolescents

Rozane Lapoli Sanz Casseb, Ethel Cukierkorn Battikha, Ana Lucia Goulart, Anna Luiza Pires Vieira, Marina Carvalho de Moraes Barros, Amélia Miyashiro Nunes dos Santos
2018 Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria  
Objectives: To compare the quality of life of adolescents born prematurely with very-low-birth-weight, reported by adolescents themselves and their caregivers, and analyze associated factors perceived by both. Methods: This cross-sectional study included former preterm adolescents born with gestational age < 37 weeks and birth weigh < 1,500 g, who were being followed up at the premature outpatient clinic of a university institution, from birth to adolescence, and their caregivers. Quality of
more » ... e was assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Factors associated with quality of life were analyzed by linear regression. Results: Of 91 eligible adolescents, 73 (80.2%) were included, being 38 (52.1%) male. The mean gestational age was 30.1 ± 2.4 weeks and birth weight was 1134 ± 239 g. Adolescents reported better quality of life than their caregivers (p = 0.011), being respectively: dissatisfied (1.4 vs. 4.1%), neither satisfied nor dissatisfied (20.5 vs. 20.5%), satisfied (56.2 vs. 71.2%) and very satisfied (21.9 vs. 4.1%). Scores attributed by adolescents and caregivers were, respectively: overall quality of life (4.0 ± 0.7 vs. 3.8 ± 0.6, p = 0.032), physical domain (3.6 ± 0.6 vs. 3.5 ± 0.6, p = 0.685), psychological domain (3.4 ± 0.6 vs. 3.6 ± 0.6, p = 0.116), social relationships (3.7 ± 0.7 vs. 3.6 ± 0.8, p = 0.371) and environment (3.4 ± 0.7 vs. 3.2 ± 0.6, p = 0.037). For caregivers, absence of fixed partner and hospitalization in childhood decreased the overall quality of life score; furthermore, the occurrence of respiratory distress syndrome increased this score. In the adolescents' view, leukomalacia reduced this score. Conclusions: Adolescents reported better quality of life than caregivers. For adolescents, only biological factors were associated with quality of life scores; for caregivers, biological and social factors were associated this scores.
doi:10.1590/0047-2085000000200 fatcat:qpvi5dpborejdoo5i2rlu2fbfi