Desempenho funcional de crianças durante e após o tratamento oncológico e a qualidade de vida de seus cuidadores

Abstract

Introduction: The treatment of childhood cancer causes physical, emotional and social changes that can negatively influence children's motor performance and remain for long periods after completion of treatment. Childhood cancer can also have negative effects on caregivers' quality of life. Objectives: To compare the functional performance of children during and after cancer treatment, as well as to verify and compare the quality of life of their caregivers. To correlate the functional performance of children with the socioeconomic classification of the family, as well as to correlate the caregivers' quality of life with the age and socioeconomic classification of the family and with the children's functional performance. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional and analytical study. Thirtytwo participants (16 children and 16 caregivers) participated in the study, including eight children undergoing cancer treatment (TTO group: 4.5 ±1.30 years); eight children who completed treatment ≥ 6 months (PTTO group: 4.12 ±1.35 years); eight caregivers of children undergoing cancer treatment (TTO caregiver group: 34.37 ± 10.25 years), and eight caregivers of children after cancer treatment (PTTO caregiver group: 31.87 ± 4.91 years). Three assessment scales were used: Pediatric Disability Assessment Inventory (PEDI), WHOQOLbref and the Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria (CCEB). Results: Results: in the PEDI assessment, in part II (caregiver assistance), there was a significant difference between children in the TTO and PTTO groups in the domains: selfcare (p=0.010) and mobility (p=0.001), with the PTTO group showing greater independence in relation to the TTO group. The PTTO caregiver group stood out in the social domain for presenting a good rate (76%) compared to the TTO caregiver group (64.9% - regular rate). When correlating the quality of life and age of caregivers, it was found that in the group of TTO caregivers, advancing age positively influenced the quality of life index (r = 0.813; p= 0.014). When correlating the caregivers' quality of life with the children's functional performance, in the TTO group, the caregivers' quality of life positively influenced functional skills - self-care (r=0.778; p=0.023) and social function (r=0.789; p=0.020) –, showing that the higher the caregivers' quality of life index, the better the functional performance of the children evaluated in terms of self-care and social function. Conclusion: children in the TTO group presented below normal functional performance in the domains of self-care and mobility, unlike the PTTO group. As children, the PTTO group are more independent in relation to the assistance of caregivers. Informal caregivers in both groups indicate the regular quality of life index. The increase in the age of caregivers of children in treatment had a positive influence on the quality of life index. The socioeconomic level did not influence the children's functional performance and the caregivers' quality of life. The functionality of the caregivers' quality of life index positively influenced the performance of children in the best TTO group.