Impact of care at foster homes on the health-related quality of life of HIV-infected children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study from India

Qual Life Res. 2018 Apr;27(4):871-877. doi: 10.1007/s11136-017-1726-y. Epub 2017 Oct 26.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the impact of care at foster homes on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children living with HIV (CLHIV), attending a referral ART Centre, and to compare their HRQOL with children living in their own homes.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 144 CLHIV between 5 and 18 years of age, attending a referral ART Centre in South India to assess their HRQOL using the standard PedsQL™ 4.0 questionnaire. Data were then analysed to compare the HRQOL of children living in foster homes to those children living in their own homes. The child report and the parent proxy-report on the child's HRQOL were also compared to see for any differences in their perspectives.

Results: 56.25% CLHIV were brought up in different foster homes. In the child's self-report, the mean HRQOL was higher for children living in foster homes [physical score (76.54 ± 12.40), psychosocial score (71.41 ± 12.40) and total score (73.20 ± 11.13)] when compared to children living in their own homes [physical score (75.09 ± 14.76), psychosocial score (70.60 ± 13.48) and total score (72.17 ± 12.00)]. There was no statistically significant difference in the HRQOL between these two groups (p > 0.05). In the parent proxy-report also, there was no statistically significant difference in the HRQOL in all the three scores. The child self-report depicted a significantly higher HRQOL in all the domains compared to the parent proxy-report (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: HRQOL of children living in foster homes is at par with the quality of life enjoyed by children living in their own homes. Foster care manages to provide a reasonable HRQOL in CLHIV, and has become an inseparable component of quality health care delivery for these children.

Keywords: Children; Foster homes; HAART; HIV; Health-related quality of life.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Foster Home Care / methods*
  • HIV Infections / pathology
  • HIV Infections / therapy*
  • Humans
  • India
  • Male
  • Quality of Life / psychology*