Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aims to evaluate and compare the perspectives of pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) patients and their parents/caregivers concerning global physical, emotional, and social health as well as health-related quality of life (HRQQL), using both the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) and the IMPACT III questionnaire. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 31 dyads of pediatric CD patients (aged 8-17 years) and their parents/caregivers were recruited from an outpatient Pediatric Gastroenterology Center. Participants completed PROMIS (Global Health, Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, Meaning and Purpose Pain Interference Life Satisfaction, Peer Relationships, Physical Activity and Fatigue) and IMPACT III measures. Comparative analyses using t-tests and multivariate analyses assessed the impact of demographic factors on score differences. Cohen's Kappa analysis evaluated the alignment between parent and child perceptions of disease status. RESULTS: The sample comprised 58% females with a mean age of 15.2 (± 2) years and a mean disease duration of 2.7 (± 2.7) years. Most patients were in disease remission (83.9%) and perceived their disease as better or unchanged in the past 6 months. Concerning PROMIS scores, parents reported significantly lower global health scores (p < 0.001) and higher meaning and purpose scores (p = 0.029) compared to their children. Parental education and professional status significantly influenced PROMIS score differences. Specifically, mothers with specialized professions showed smaller differences in PROMIS depression and pain interference, although greater differences in PROMIS meaning and purpose, as compared to their respective children's scores. Fathers with specialized professions demonstrated greater differences in PROMIS anxiety scores but smaller differences in PROMIS life satisfaction scores. A significant misalignment between parent and child subjective perceptions of disease status was observed (p = 0.004), suggesting that parents may overestimate symptom severity or underestimate improvements compared to their children's experiences. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of integrating patient and parental perspectives in the clinical management of pediatric CD. The observed discrepancies in disease-related perceptions, influenced by parental educational and professional background, underscore the need for comprehensive assessments to ensure accurate, patient-centered care. For broader generalization, further research should explore these dynamics in newly diagnosed and hospitalized patients.