Quality of Life & Associated Factors in Children Having Polio Related Disabilities; A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Poliomyelitis is a paralytic & highly infectious disease caused by a virulent virus from the Picornaviridae family. It is one of the oldest diseases and has been mentioned in Egyptian drawings as well.

Objectives: To determine the Quality of life & its association with clinico-demographic variables of post-poliomyelitis children having disabilities.

Methodology: This cross sectional study recruited N=460 post-polio cases from Khyber Pakhtun Khwa  and Khyber Pakhtun Khwa Tribal District from  July 2019 to December 2019 using convenience sampling. Sample included both genders, aged 15 years or less, who had received rehabilitation services for more than 3 months & had a valid case identification number. Cases who did not receive rehab in the last 2 months, those having other health related issues or impairments along with polio were excluded from the study. Basic demographic sheet and World Health Organization Quality of Life questionaire on disability was used for the data collection and analysis done using SPSS Version 21.

Results: Study revealed highest domain score for psychological (13.11±2.19/56.85±13.43) followed by physical (12.74±2.78/55.07±16.85) and environmental (12.31±2.06/53.03±13.08) domains, the least score was of social domain (10.67±2.14/41.81±13.34). Quality of life revealed significant association (p<0.001) with occupation, visibility of disability, disability affecting life; and its physical domain with Age of onset & duration (p=0.026); physical (p=0.003), psychological (p=0.000) and environmental (p=0.000) domain with income.

Conclusion: The quality of life of post-polio cases with disabilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa & its Tribal District is compromised with highest domain score for psychological followed by physical and environmental domains, the least score was of social domain.  Quality of life revealed significant association with occupation, visibility of disability, disability affecting life; and its physical domain with Age of onset & duration; physical, psychological and environmental domain with income.

Key Words: Disability, Poliomyelitis, Polio Rehabilitation Initiative, Quality of life