Landolt
Fakultäten » Medizinische Fakultät » Kinderspital Zürich: Medizinische Klinik » Medizinische Klinik » Prof. Dr. Markus A. Landolt » Landolt
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Health-related quality of life and posttraumatic stress disorder in infants and toddlers with burns | ||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | Background: A burn injury is one of the most serious and prevalent form of trauma children can experience. Although the physical aspects of a burn injury are critically important, the psychosocial impact is equally so. Previous studies of psychological adjustment and health-related quality of life have two important limitations. First, there is almost nothing known about adjustment and quality of life of children under the age of 4 years. Second, there are no published studies on the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in burned children although there are distinct reasons to suggest that burned children may exhibit remarkable rates of PTSD. Aim and Hypothesis: The aim of this study is twofold. First, PTSD and quality of life in infants and toddlers after burn injuries shall be assessed. Second, injury- and treatment-related, child, and familial determinants of PTSD and quality of life shall be examined. It is hypothesized that a significant group of young children after burn injuries has symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and a compromised quality of life. Psychological adjustment and health-related quality of life after a burn injury are expected to be predicted by three group of variables: Injury- and treatment-related characteristics (e.g., size and depth of the burn, type of treatment), characteristics of the child (e.g., age and sex), and characteristics of the familial environment (e.g., family climate, parental psychological adjustment). Methods: Mothers and fathers of 120 burn survivors will be assessed with standardized instruments. Eligibility criteria for the study include a child age at assessment between 9 and 48 months, a burn injury of at least 5% of body surface area, and a postburn time of at least 3 months. Mothers will be interviewed with the PTSD Semi-Structured Interview and Observational Record for Infants and Young Children (Scheeringa & Zeanah, 1994). In addtion, mothers are requested to complete questionnaires assessing biographical information, current child health-related quality of life (TNO-AZL Preschool Children Quality of Life Questionnaire), quality of family relationships (Family Relationsship Index), maternal PTSD (Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale), and maternal psychopathology (Symptom-Checklist-27). Fathers are also assessed with questionnaires measuring paternal PTSD and psychopathology. Expected value of the proposed project: Data on psychosocial outcome of severe injuries are of utmost relevance, even more in times of molecular medicine. While there is some knowledge on psychosocial sequelae in older children with burn injuries, the present study is the first to systematically assess quality of life and posttraumatic stress symptomatology in a significant group of infants and toddlers. The assessment of both health-related quality of life and posttraumatic stress symptomatology will allow a detailled and broad description of psychosocial outcome after burn injuries in this very young group of children. Also, the systematic assessment of PTSD symptoms at this early age will add significant knowledge to the conceptualization and validation of PTSD in infants and toddlers. Analysis of a broad range of medical and psychosocial predictor variables will help identify more accurately those patients with a higher risk of an unfavourable outcome at an early point. Hopefully, appropriate early psychosocial interventions may help to prevent or reduce later problems of psychological and social functioning. |
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| Publications / Publikationen | Graf, A., Irblich, D. & Landolt, M.A. (2008). Traumafolgestörungen bei Säuglingen und Kleinkindern. Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie, 57, 247-263.Weitere Informationen | ||
| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | Posttraumatic Stress, quality of life, burns, children | ||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
Foundation, Others Schweizerische Krebsliga (Oncosuisse), Gönnervereinigung Kinderspital, Claus Cramer Stiftung, Hermann-Klaus-Stiftung |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Dec 2005 to Feb 2009 |