Needs and Quality of Life for Children with Cleft Lip/ Palate and Their Families in the North Thailand
Phrutthinun Surit PhD*, Ratchanee Mitgitti PhD**, Pattaramon Wijakkanalan MD***, Benjamas Prathanee PhD***
Affiliation : * Department of Biochemistry and Center of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology (CEMB), Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Pitsanulok, Thailand ** School of Nursing, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand *** Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Background : Cleft lip and cleft palate (CLP) is one of the major public health problems in Thailand. Caregivers or families
are strongly responsible to take a good care of children with CLP. Caregivers or families’ needs and quality of life (QoL) are
needed for treatment planning.
Objective : To determine the needs and QoL of caregivers or families of the children with CLP and relationships between the
physical health, psychological health, social relationship, satisfaction with environment and overall QoL.
Material and Method: Twenty-five caregivers or families of the children with CLP who had joined the Family Camp provided
by the Northern Woman’s Development Foundation in Chiang Rai Province. The THAICLEFT Need Questionnaire for
children with cleft lip/palate and families and the WHOQOL-BIEF THAI Version questionnaire were used. Caregivers’ needs
and QoL were analyzed using mean with standard deviation and correlations.
Results : The majority of the respondents were females (88.0%), employee (36.0%), and had completed primary school
(44%). The caregiver reported their needs on medical care (3.31), medical service (3.76), cost of medical care (3.52), and
families’ satisfaction of 3.19. The overall QoL was in a good level of 48.0% and a fair level of 52.0%. Furthermore, the
participants’ psychological health, social relationship, and satisfaction with environment were in good to fair level of 64.0%,
76.0% and 62.0%, respectively. The participants reported having physical health in a fair level (56.0%). There was a
statistically significant correlation between the four major QoL domains and overall QoL (p<0.01).
Conclusion : Medical service was the most information need for the caregivers or families. The overall QoL was in fair level
which was lower than QoL of general population. There is a need to improve the QoL of the physical health and satisfaction
with environment. In order to enhance the QoL of the children with CLP and their caregivers, the findings of the present study
should be taken into account whilst developing a treatment plan for the children with CLP.
Keywords : Quality of life, Cleft lip and cleft palate, CLP
