Table 1.
Socio-demographic, clinical and psycho-social variables of children and adolescents with Cancer at UCI outpatient clinic
| Socio-demographic variables | N = 352 | Percentage% |
|---|---|---|
| Age category (years) | ||
| Children (7–9) | 115 | 32.67 |
| Adolescents (10–17) | 237 | 67.33 |
| Gender | ||
| Male | 240 | 68.18 |
| Female | 112 | 31.82 |
| Orphanhood status | ||
| Both parents alive | 279 | 79.30 |
| Single Orphan | 61 | 17.30 |
| Double Orphan | 12 | 3.40 |
| Ethnic group according to region | ||
| Western Uganda | 80 | 22.70 |
| Northern Uganda | 66 | 18.60 |
| Eastern Uganda | 72 | 20.50 |
| Central region | 110 | 31.30 |
| Foreigners | 24 | 6.81 |
| Psychosocial variables | ||
| Negative coping strategies | ||
| Denial | ||
| Yes | 141 | 40.1 |
| No | 211 | 59.9 |
| Self-blame | ||
| Yes | 56 | 15.9 |
| No | 296 | 84.1 |
| Substance use | ||
| Yes | 17 | 4.8 |
| No | 335 | 95.2 |
| Behavioural disengagement | ||
| Yes | 173 | 49.2 |
| No | 179 | 50.8 |
| Positive coping strategies | ||
| Self-distraction | ||
| Yes | 250 | 71 |
| No | 102 | 29 |
| Active Coping | ||
| Yes | 329 | 93.5 |
| No | 23 | 6.5 |
| Use of emotional support | ||
| Yes | 301 | 85.5 |
| No | 51 | 14.5 |
| Use of instrumental support | ||
| Yes | 295 | 83.8 |
| No | 57 | 16.2 |
| Acceptance | ||
| Yes | 190 | 54 |
| No | 162 | 46 |
| Positive reframing | ||
| Yes | 223 | 63.4 |
| No | 129 | 36.6 |
| Use of religion | ||
| Yes | 264 | 75 |
| No | 88 | 25 |
| Perception of social support | ||
| A special person in patient’s life | ||
| Yes | 292 | 83.8 |
| No | 60 | 16.2 |
| Emotional Support from family | ||
| Yes | 293 | 83.2 |
| No | 59 | 16.8 |
| Friends in the patient’s life | ||
| Yes | 290 | 82.4 |
| No | 62 | 17.6 |
| Family help | ||
| Yes | 292 | 83 |
| No | 60 | 17 |
| Clinical variables | ||
| A family history of depression | ||
| Yes | 127 | 36.1 |
| No | 225 | 63.9 |
| HIV/AIDS | ||
| Yes | 47 | 13.4 |
| No | 233 | 86.6 |
| Cancer stage | ||
| I | 31 | 8.8 |
| II | 45 | 12.8 |
| III | 80 | 22.7 |
| IV | 49 | 13.9 |
| Other | 150 | 42.6 |
| Cancer category | ||
| Lymphomas | 152 | 43.2 |
| Leukaemia’s | 94 | 26.7 |
| Embryonal tumours | 49 | 13.9 |
| Primary bone tumours | 14 | 4.0 |
| Others | 43 | 12.2 |
| Treatment duration | ||
| 0–12 months | 239 | 68.0 |
| 12–36 months | 103 | 29.3 |
| > 36 months | 10 | 2.8 |