Determination of the Quality of Life of Parents with Children Treated in the Pediatric Oncology Clinic during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Affecting Factors

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Even in the absence of a pandemic, pediatric oncology patients have decreased immunological levels. This condition requires families to monitor their children's risk of infection on a frequent basis. The possibility of being exposed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a hospital or community environment has created significant concern among cancer families. Objectives This study sought to ascertain the quality of life of parents who sought treatment for their children at a pediatric oncology clinic during the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as the factors that influenced it. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study included 62 parents with children ages 0 to 19 who receive treatment for their children at the pediatric oncology clinic of an application and research center in Turkey's Western Black Sea area. “The Participant Information Form” and “The Scale of Quality of Life-Family Version (QOL-FV)” were used to collect data. The researchers used the face-to-face interview approach to obtain data. To investigate the differences in scale levels based on the descriptive characteristics of the parents, one-way analysis of variance, t-test, and post hoc (Tukey, least significant difference) analyses were used. Results The total mean score of the parents' QOL-FV was found to be 148.097 ± 25.843 (87–258). In the study, it was determined that financial difficulties, difficulties in accessing the hospital during the treatment process, and changes in daily activity/behavior had negative effects on parents' quality of life. Conclusion Most of the parents who participated in our study stated that their quality of life got worse with the pandemic. It was determined that the COVID-19 pandemic had effects on the quality of life of parents of pediatric oncology patients in various ways.