Impact of the Children with Cleft Lip and Palate on Their Families in the North of Thailand
Phrutthinun Surit PhD1, Ratchanee Mitgitti PhD2, Pattaramon Wijakkanalan MD3, Benjamas Prathanee PhD3
Affiliation : 1 Department of Biochemistry and Center of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology (CEMB), Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand 2 School of Nursing, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand 3 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Background : Cleft lip and cleft palate [CLP] remain a major public health problem around the world, as well as in Thailand.
Families are strongly responsible to take good care of the children with CLP. The impact of the children with CLP affected
on their families’ quality of life should be explored.
Objective : To investigate the impact of children on a CLP family.
Materials and Methods : Nineteen families of the children with CLP who joined the Family Camp that was provided by the
Northern Woman’s Development Foundation in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, were selected. The Impact of Family Scale
[IOFs], comprising 33 items in five domains was employed in this present study. The structure questionnaire was composed
of demographic data and the IOFs which were translated into Thai and thereafter reliability was compared with previous
studies. The impact of family scale was presented as mean with standard deviation.
Results : Most participants were females (84.22%), and their most common reported occupation was employee (57.90%),
of the participants’ their highest education was primary school level (57.92%), and their medical expenses were approximately
902.90 baht per visit. The overall impact of family score was 2.72. In all, coping problems had the highest impact score of
3.70, followed by financial impact of 3.03, social impact of 2.86, and personal impact of 2.72. On the other hand, siblings
showed the lowest impact score of 1.65.
Conclusion : There was high negative impact of children on CLP families. The impact modalities were financial, social,
personal, coping and sibling impacts, respectively. Knowing the full impact the children with CLP on families [IOFs] would
benefit related organizations in enhancing social and family preparation for proper management which ultimately aims to
increase their quality of life. Consultation with medical services and expenses, financial and social support are needed.
Keywords : Impact of family scale [IOFs], Cleft lip and cleft palate [CLP], Family impact, North of Thailand
