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Posttraumatic stress and health-related quality of life in parents of children with cardiac rhythm devices

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Abstract

Purpose

Studies have shown a high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) among parents of children with life-threatening diseases. However, it is yet unknown whether parents of children with cardiac rhythm device develop posttraumatic stress symptoms or even PTSD.

Methods

This cross-sectional investigation is part of a comprehensive single-center study of long-term medical and psychosocial outcomes in pediatric patients with pacemaker (PM) and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). 69 patients (78%) were included in the study, with the participation of 69 mothers and 57 fathers. Parents completed the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 item questionnaire. Child’s medical data was collected retrospectively from patients’ hospital records.

Results

At assessment, the patients (39% females) were on average 11.2 years old. The predominant device type was PM in 56 cases (81%). The mean time since device implantation was 6.3 years (SD = 4.3). Full heart-disease related PTSD was diagnosed in one mother and no father, while partial heart-disease-related PTSD was diagnosed in 3 mothers (4%) and 2 fathers (4%). Parental HRQoL—especially regarding the mental health dimension—was affected in both parents. In both parents, total PTSD symptom severity scores were a significant predictor for mental health summary scores after controlling for child age at implantation, presence of other non-cardiac disease in the child, parental age, and presence of own chronic disease.

Conclusions

Special attention should be given to parental PTSD symptoms in the clinical follow-up of PM and ICD patients as some parents might probably benefit from psychological support.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Silvia Hilfiker, Karin Steinmann and Alina Rüegg for patient recruitment and data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, University Children’s Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland

    Helene Werner & Phaedra Lehmann

  2. Department of Cardiology, Pediatric Heart Centre, University Children’s Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

    Christian Balmer & Phaedra Lehmann

  3. Department of Child and Adolescent Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Helene Werner

  4. University Children’s Hospital, Children’s Research Center, Zurich, Switzerland

    Helene Werner, Christian Balmer & Phaedra Lehmann

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  1. Helene Werner
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Correspondence to Helene Werner.

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Werner, H., Balmer, C. & Lehmann, P. Posttraumatic stress and health-related quality of life in parents of children with cardiac rhythm devices. Qual Life Res 28, 2471–2480 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-019-02202-z

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