Technology depended children. Quality of life, days of hospitalization and cost effect from a home care program

Abstract

Background: Home care has been reported to improve the quality of life (QoL) and reduce length of hospitalization and cost of technology depended children. Aim: To evaluate QoL, length of hospitalization and the cost for our National Health System, of the children with chronic respiratory problems who entered a home care program. Patients-Method: Technology depended children with chronic respiratory problems, entered prospectively in a hospital based home care program. QoL DISABKIDS questionnaire for children and the equivalent for parents were completed. DISABKIDS questionnaire for children with cerebral palsy was completed from the parents of the children with cerebral palsy. The days and the cost of hospitalization one year before and after their entry in the program were counted. Results: 30 children, mean age 6.85 years, entered the study. QoL questionnaire completed from the parents of the children with cerebral palsy didn9t show improvement a year later (p=0.275). QoL of the children and their parents with other disorders improved a year later (children: t(9)=3.674, p=0.005), (parents: t(9)=4.146, p=0.002). Median days of hospitalization of the year before the intervention were 16.5, and after were 4.5, (Wilcoxon z= -2, 764, p= 0,006). The median cost of hospitalization the year before the intervention was 3538.30€ and after 2009.50€, (Wilcoxon Z=-2.619, p=0.009). Conclusions: Entry on a home care program of the children with technology depended chronic respiratory problems, significantly reduced days of hospitalization and the cost for our Health System. QoL improved significantly, but not for children with respiratory problems due to cerebral palsy.