ABSTRACT
Introduction: The severity of chronic health condition refers to the impact on a child's physical, intellectual, psychological and social functioning. Long term illness affects the functioning of both children and families
Study Objective: Assessment of the quality of life in children and adolescents with rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart diseases by measuring the essential life spheres "physical, emotional, social and school functioning as well as general well being"
Subjects: Cases [100] were randomly assigned among patients attending outpatient pediatric and cardiac clinic and inpatient hospitalized patients in 2 hospitals [Abo El Rish pediatric university hospital - El Mokatum hospital "Health Insurance Organization". Control [120] matched age and sex patients attending same hospital for mild ailments
Methods: A case-control study conducted during later ½ of the scholastic year [2000/2001]. Patients and controls, were interviewed for completion of 2 pre-prepared and pre-tested questionnaire forms [1- Pediatric Quality of life inventory. 2- A designed questionnaire medical history of patients]
Results: There was a statistical difference between cases and controls for al aspects of quality of life, school absenteeism was found to be the most significant variable related to impaired quality of life. The estimated total disability days for the studied cases due to school absenteeism was 116.76 days per year for the 100 studied cases with a mean 116.8+/-108.2 day per student. Parent education and regular intake of long acting penicillin were found positively affecting the quality of life
Conclusion: Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart diseases are chronic conditions affecting negatively all aspects of quality of life of the diseased children. So management of these diseases should include assessment of quality of life of patients. Adherence to regular long acting penicillin and strategies for application of standardized regimen program are recommended