A Descriptive Analysis of Responses to the Parent Quality of Life Scale (PQLS-T1D) Among Parents of Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Swathi Sampath, Chitra Ayyappan, Sridevi A. Naaraayan, B. PrabakaranAbstract
Context:
Parents of children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) often experience reduced quality of life (QoL) due to the continuous demands of diabetes care.
Aim:
To describe the individual responses to the Parent Quality of Life Scale (PQLS-T1D) among parents of children with T1DM.
Settings and Design:
Hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted at a government tertiary care centre in Chennai.
Subjects and Methods:
This descriptive analysis forms part of a larger cross-sectional study conducted among 200 parents of children with T1DM. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and the validated Parent Quality of Life Scale (PQLS-T1D).
Statistical Analysis Used:
Data were summarized using frequencies, proportions, mean (standard deviation), and median (interquartile range).
Results:
Most caregivers were mothers (98.5%) with a mean age of 33.7 ± 5.1 years. More than half of the parents reported “always” experiencing restrictions in self-care (60.5%), daily work (57.5%), social participation (55.0%), and enjoyment of life (57.0%) due to their child’s diabetes. Emotional concerns were prominent, with 87% always worrying about their child’s health, 86% fearing the loss of their child, and 84.5% reporting financial difficulties due to diabetes care.
Conclusion:
Parents of children with T1DM experience considerable physical, functional, emotional, and social challenges. Routine assessment of parental QoL should be considered alongside the child’s clinical management with a family-centred approach to pediatric diabetes care.