Abstract
PurposeThe objective of this study was to examine the causal relationships among sex, social support, disease severity, symptoms, physical activity, general health perception and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Thai adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD).Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling to recruit 200 Thai adolescents with CHD aged between 13 and18 years from four tertiary university hospitals in Bangkok. Interview method and self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection held between November 2018 and February 2019. Data were analyzed using path analysis to test the hypothesized model of the relationships.FindingsThe causal model of HRQOL revealed a good fit with the data. This model of relationship could explain 48% of the variances in HRQOL. Only direct effects of disease severity, symptoms and social support on HRQOL were found while indirect effects were not.Originality/valueDue to the lack of study focusing on factors influencing HRQOL in Thai adolescents with CHD, this empirical study provides the evidence in Thai literature. The modifiable influencing factors for HRQOL found in this study can be manipulated through psycho-educational intervention given to the adolescents and significant others, especially parents, to help increase quality of life in adolescents with CHD.
Highlights
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a defect in the structure of the heart that is present at birth
83% of the adolescents had previously undergone heart surgery, while 41% had received no treatment in the past year
Though there were no normative scores from healthy adolescents for comparison, the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores of adolescents with CHD in this study appeared to be noteworthy
Summary
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a defect in the structure of the heart that is present at birth. CHD is a significant cause of death among children worldwide. Problems found from the defect range from simple to complex. Some problems can be self-healing and a child grows out of it, while others can be managed with medicine. Some require either surgery in the first few hours of life or several surgeries throughout their lives. Due to advancements in medical technology and treatment, improved survival rates for CHD have been evident and these
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
