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. 2023 Nov 22;17(1):65–82. doi: 10.1007/s40271-023-00657-4

Table 5.

Comparison of caregiver scores by characteristics of the caregiver and the child

n Caregiver scores
PTHSI EQ-5D-5L VAS EQ-5D-5L LSS CarerQoL
Total scores Median (IQR) 71.8 (60.0, 85.3) 90 (75, 100) 6 (5, 7) 3 (1, 5)
Characteristics of the caregiver
Caregiver health condition
 Yes 37 Median (IQR) 71.6 (52.9, 90.6) 85 (70, 100) 6 (5, 7) 4 (2, 6)
 No 106 Median (IQR) 71.8 (61.2, 83.6) 90 (75, 100) 5 (5, 7) 3(1, 5)
 Kruskal–Wallis test (p-value) 0.001 (p = 0.999) 1.93 (p = 0.381) 5.12 (p = 0.077) 5.99 (p = 0.050)
Caregiving hours for child per day
 0–3 hours 15 Median (IQR) 74.1 (63.5, 90.6) 92 (87, 100) 5 (5, 6) 2 (1, 4)
 4–6 hours 24 Median (IQR) 78.2 (60.0, 85.3) 88 (65, 99.5) 5 (5, 6) 3 (1, 5)
 7–10 hours 25 Median (IQR) 74.1 (60.0, 85.9) 95 (80, 100) 6 (5, 7) 2 (1, 5)
 >10 hours 79 Median (IQR) 68.2 (57.6, 81.2) 90 (70, 100) 6 (5, 7) 4 (1, 6)
 Kruskal–Wallis test (p-value) 2.72 (p = 0.605) 5.78 (p = 0.216) 3.45 (p = 0.485) 6.22 (p = 0.183)
Number of children cared for
 1 37 Median (IQR) 71.8 (56.5, 81.2) 94.5 (75.5, 100) 6 (5, 7) 3 (2, 5)
 2 43 Median (IQR) 72.9 (58.8, 85.9) 87 (75, 100) 5.5 (5, 7) 3 (1, 6)
 3 37 Median (IQR) 74.1 (64.7, 85.9) 90 (75, 100) 5 (5, 7) 3 (1, 5)
 4 16 Median (IQR) 68.2 (51.2, 87.1) 86.5 (70, 100) 5.5 (5, 7) 4 (1, 6)
 ≥5 29 Median (IQR) 71.2 (64.7, 91.8) 85 (63, 100) 6 (5, 8.5) 3 (1, 6)
 Kruskal–Wallis test (p-value) 4.144 (p = 0.529) 2.19 (p = 0.823) 3.16 (p = 0.675) 2.19 (p = 0.700)
Highest level of education completed
 High school 84 Median (IQR) 72.4 (61.2, 87.6) 90 (76, 100) 5 (5, 7) 3 (1, 5)
 No schooling 3 Median (IQR) 90.6 (54.1, 100.0) 100 (100, 100) 5 (5, 5) 0 (0, 1)
 Primary school 16 Median (IQR) 81.8 (62.4, 88.2) 85 (70, 100) 5.5 (5, 7) 2 (1, 5)
 Tertiary 40 Median (IQR) 65.9 (52.4, 80.0) 85 (74, 95) 6 (5, 9) 4 (2, 6)
 Kruskal–Wallis Test (p-value) 6.59 (p = 0.159) 7.986 (p = 0.092) 6.47 (p = 0.167) 10.99 (p = 0.027)
Characteristics of the child
Child’s technology for breathing
 Non-invasive ventilation 26 Median (IQR) 68.2 (56.5, 74.1) 88 (66, 100) 6 (5, 10) 5 (1, 7)
 Tracheostomy only 99 Median (IQR) 75.3 (61.2, 88.2) 90 (75, 100) 5 (5, 6) 3 (1, 5)
 Invasive ventilation (tracheostomy and ventilation) 19 Median (IQR) 61.2 (51.8, 74.1) 90 (75, 100) 6 (5, 9) 5 (1, 6)
 Kruskal–Wallis test (p-value) 11.38 (p = 0.003) 1.38 (p = 0.501) 6.54 (p = 0.038) 4.98 (p = 0.173)
Child’s clinical severity
 Mild 118 Median (IQR) 73.5 (62.4, 87.1) 90 (75, 100) 5 (5, 7) 3 (1, 5)
 Moderate 25 Median (IQR) 58.8 (42.4, 67.1) 88.5 (70, 100) 6 (5, 9) 3 (1, 5)
 Kruskal–Wallis test (p-value) 15.25 (p < 0.001) 1.60 (p = 0.448) 4.41 (p = 0.110) 8.39 (p = 0.015)
Child’s gender Median (IQR)
 Female 58 Median (IQR) 70.0 (57.6, 88.2) 90 (72, 100) 5 (5, 7) 3 (1, 6)
 Male 86 71.8 (61.2, 83.5) 90 (75, 100) 6 (5, 7) 3 (1, 5)
 Mann–Whitney U test (p-value) 2526.00 (p = 0.896) 2404.5 (p = 0.916) 2547.00 (p = 0.579) 2499.50 (p = 0.98)
Child’s age
 1–12 months 20 Median (IQR) 64.1 (59.4, 77.1) 80 (74, 100) 6 (5, 7) 3 (0, 5)
 13–24 months 12 Median (IQR) 60.0 (39.4, 85.9) 93 (73, 100) 6.5 (5, 9.5) 4 (2, 7)
 2–4 years 34 Median (IQR) 72.9 (63.5, 90.6) 93 (79, 100) 6 (5, 7) 3 (1, 5)
 5–7 years 28 Median (IQR) 82.4 (70.6, 90.0) 95 (81, 100) 5 (5, 5) 2 (1, 4)
 8–12 years 27 Median (IQR) 74.1 (57.7, 83.5) 90 (70, 100) 6 (5, 7) 2 (1, 4)
 13–18 years 23 Median (IQR) 62.4 (47.1, 71.8) 86 (61, 100) 6 (5, 9) 5 (2, 6)
 Kruskal–Wallis test (p-value) 18.82 (p = 0.002) 3.76 (p = 0.584) 12.06 (p = 0.034) 10.23 (p = 0.069)

HRQoL health-related quality of life, IQR interquartile range, LSS level sum score, PedsQL Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, PTHSI Paediatric Tracheostomy Health Status Instrument, VAS Visual Analogue Scale

EQ-5D-5L LSS score ranges from 5 to 25 with a lower score indicating a better HRQoL. The PTHSI and EQ VAS scores range from 0 to 100 with a higher score indicating a better HRQoL. The CarerQoL summary score ranges from 0 to 14 with a higher score indicating a greater burden of care. p-Value (two-sided test), bold indicates significance at p < 0.05