Quality of Life Among Children with Cancer in Gaza Strip

Abstract

The study aimed to assess quality of life among children with cancer in Gaza Strip and the factors influencing their life conditions. A descriptive, analytic, cross-sectional study include 122 children with cancer whose age was between 7 to 18 years. Data collected at El Ranteesy Specialized Pediatric Hospital and European Gaza Hospital data collected by using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0 generic core scale). Participants were interviewed by the researcher and completed the questionnaire which focused on quality of life included five domains. The result showed that most of the participants have a medium level of quality of life with the mean score was 52.53%. The social function domain got the highest score with equaled (60.98%), physical function domain (52.94%), the school function domain (48.85%), and the lowest domain was emotional function domain with equaled (47.13%). Finding showed that gender, age, hospital, participants' residence, participants' father level of education, participants' mother level of education, diagnosis years for the current disease, and family history of cancer not statically significant difference in the quality of life. Providing psycho-oncology services in ministry of health together with medical treatment, anxiety reduction measurement, provide program that can enhance the level of quality of life, and psychosocial support schedule for children and their families. Finally, guiding the society of how children with cancer treated through improve the awareness and educational campaign and encourage the skills of communication for healthcare givers.