Psychological and socio-demographic determinants of the quality of life of families with children with oncohematological diseases

Aim. A primary study of the quality of life of families with children with oncohematological diseases. Materials and methods. A total of 60 patients under the age of 18 who were undergoing inpatient

treatment at Research Center of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery (Almaty c., Republic of Kazakhstan) and National Research Center for Maternal and Child Health of UMC CF (Astana c., Republic of Kazakhstan), as well as their parents/guardians or grandmothers providing support, participated in the study. Information was collected in two ways: filling out electronic psychological, socio-demographic questionnaire and a conversation.

Results and discussion. The following problems were the most urgent for the respondents: significant lifestyle changes, financial difficulties and late diagnosis of the disease. 46.7% of the respondents considered their psychoemotional state relatively stable, however, 41.7% of the guardians reported that they could hardly cope with the situation in the family, 11.7% of the guardians could not cope with the current situation. Frequently used coping methods, according to the survey, included prayer, fulfillment of the child’s wishes, and support from loved ones.

Conclusions. There was a need to create a comprehensive journal-guide for the patient and his family, designed to simplify navigation during the treatment process. There have been isolated cases of misunderstanding and stigmatization of oncological diseases, as well as the lack of adapted methods for measuring the quality of life of families with oncopediatric patients.

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