The experience of parents in Ronald McDonald houses in France

BACKGROUND

Ronald McDonald houses are located close to children's hospitals. They enable the hospitalized child to benefit from their family's presence, while helping the family to cope better with their child's hospital stay. This study aimed to describe the experience of parents staying in Ronald McDonald houses in France, identify their needs, and study the psychological impact of their child being in hospital.

METHOD

This cross-sectional observational epidemiological study was conducted in 2016, using anonymous self-administered questionnaires offered to parents staying in one of the nine Ronald McDonald houses in France. The questionnaire had two sections: a general section about the hospitalized child, and a 62 questions section to be completed by each parent, including a Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

RESULTS

The participation rate was 62.9%: 71% of mothers completed the questionnaire (n = 320), and 54.7% of fathers did so (n = 246). They were the parents of 333 children (53.9% boys, 46.1% girls), under 1 year old (44.1%), hospitalized in the following three departments: intensive care (24%), pediatric oncology (23.1%), and neonatal care (20.1%). The mothers on average spent 11 h a day at their child's bedside, while the fathers spent 8 h 47 min. The parents tended to be employees or manual workers, and mostly lived together, with an average 2-h journey to hospital. They reported financial problems in 42.1% of cases, significant sleep deprivation (>90 min) in 73.2% of cases, and anxiety and depressive disorders: anxiety (59%) and depression (26%). There were some significant differences between the experiences of mothers and fathers: mothers lost out on their sleep and lost more appetite, and spent more time at their child's bedside, while the fathers encountered twice as many work-related difficulties (p<0.01). Additionally, their perception of the Ronald McDonald House was similar, as over 90% of them stated that this family accommodation allowed them to feel closer to their child and supported them in their role as parents.

CONCLUSION

The parents of children in hospital were 6-8 times more anxious than the general population, while clinical symptoms of depression were twice as common as in the overall population. Despite this suffering linked to their child's illness, the parents rated highly the support provided by the Ronald McDonald House in helping them cope with their child's time in hospital.

Parents’ experience in the Ronald McDonald Houses

Introduction

Child hospitalization is a difficult event in the life for the whole family, probably worst for families coming from far away, specially for accommodation. Ronald McDonald Houses (RMH) created in the immediate proximity of pediatric departments of hospitals, allows hospitalized children to benefit from the presence of his family nearby. The hypothesis that the family is stronger when it is grouped together (the “family-centered-care” concept) remains difficult to demonstrate (Cochrane, 2012). In France, there is no study describing the interest of such places, and families experiences.

Objectives

Our objectives are to describe the experience of parents in French RMH.

Methods

A cross-sectional study conducted between February and April 2016, invited 50 families to participate in the 9 French RMH, by feeling an anonymous questionnaire (socio-demographic characteristics, items related to hospitalization, anxiety and depression scale -HADS, conditions of stay at the house). Descriptive statistics presented mothers and fathers experience.

Results

Parents of 333 hospitalized child participated : 320 mothers, 246 fathers. 44.1% of child were aged less than one year. Services more represented were : intensive care unit, oncology and neonatal. Parents were socially rather disadvantaged, living mainly in couples, with an estimated mean home-hospital time of 2 hours. They reported financial problems (>40%), sleep deprivation (>1.5 hours), and anxiety-depressive disorders: anxiety (>50%) and depression (>20%). Satisfaction staying in the house was extremely high (>95%).

Conclusions

We observe an undeniable added value of the RMH in the care. Nevertheless, the high level of psychological suffering shows the importance of offering help at the psycho-social level.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Abstract P4-13-14: Lung cancer after treatment of breast cancer:retrospective study from Curie Institut

Background: Few studies have evaluated the effects of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT)of breast cancer(BC). The relation between the risk of lung carcinoma and radiotherapy have been controversial.

Methods and materials: We retrospectively studied 127 patients treated at the Institut Curie with non metastatic breast cancer and lung carcinoma between 2000 and 2011(2/3 of BC apperead befor lung). Confirmation Diagnosis bronchial cancer obtained by: biopsy: histological data:architecture, IHC (HR, HER 2, TTF1), EGFR, Kras statut clinical and radiological Correlation. Comparison with breast tumor

Results: BC: median age at diagnosis 54 years, predominatly invasive ductual carcinoma(IDC), lumpectomy 78%, mastectomy 21%. Lung cancer: median age at diagnosis: 63 years, 67 smokers. histology: 52 % Adenocarcinoma, 18.1 % scamous cell carcinoma, 18.1% large cell carcinoma, 13.4 % small cell carcinoma. EGFR mutation in 4.3%. 109 patients underwent RT (3 cases of lung cancer befor BC):Region: internal mammary chain: 46, supracalvicular: 42, axillary: 21. Technique: lateral decubitus position: 44, dorsal decubitus position: 57. Interval between breast and lung cancer: 0–3 years: 24.4%, 3–5 years: 15%, 6–10years: 16.5%, 11–20 years: 28%, &gt;20 years: peak of incidence of lung cancer in the 3 years of diagnosis of breast cancer: 24.4 %. There was no apparent relation between treatment of BC and relative risk of developing lung carcinoma. 2nd peak between 11–20 years: 32 % patients, suggest that RT may increase risk of lung carcinoma (latency period for radiation induced second malignancy).

Conclusion: This study suggest that adjuvant RT is associated with a real but small risk of developing lung carcinoma.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-13-14.

[Multisite validation study of questionnaire assessing out-patient satisfaction with care questionnaire in ambulatory chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment]

Patient satisfaction is now recognised as an important quality of care outcome which is particularly relevant in oncology. Adapted from the EORTC In-Patsat32, the Out-Patsat35 is a 35-item satisfaction with care questionnaire measuring cancer outpatients' perception of hospital doctors and nurses, as well as aspects of care organisation and services. This study assessed the psychometric properties of this scale. Patients undergoing ambulatory chemotherapy (CT) or radiotherapy (RT) in 7 cancer centres in France were invited to complete at home the Out-Patsat35 as well as EORTC QLQ-C30 for psychometric testing. Of 416 eligible patients recruited, 96% returned the questionnaire. Most patients (71% in CT; 69% in RT) completed this scale within 15 minutes and the mean rate of item omission was only 4.4%. Confirmatory analyses revealed good convergent validity and excellent internal consistency, although some subscales within the Out-Patsat35 were relatively highly correlated. Items and subscales of the Out-Patsat35 and of the QLQ-C30 were not significantly correlated, underlying that the two questionnaires are assessing quite distinct concepts. The subscales of the Out-Patsat35 were not related to age, gender and education, suggesting a cultural evolution in French cancer patients towards a greater homogeneity in their opinion toward care. This study supports the acceptability to patients, and the psychometric properties of the EORTC Out-Patsat35 questionnaire.

A cross-sectional study of the health effects of work schedules on 3212 hospital workers in France: implications for the new French work schedules policy

This study was designed to investigate the effects of work schedules on the health of hospital workers at the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP). Out of 40 hospitals, 17 volunteered to participate in this study. The Standard Shiftwork Index and a questionnaire concerning physicians' work schedules were used. Ten thousand questionnaires were distributed anonymously to hospital workers between March and April 1999. Professional categories comprised head nurses, nurses, nursing auxiliaries, hospital agents, midwives and full time physicians. Departments included internal and geriatric medicine, general paediatrics, orthopaedic and general surgery, operating and emergency rooms, and anaesthesiology and intensive care units. 3250 questionnaires were returned. Demographics for the respondents were: 79.2% female, average age 38.1 +/- 9.1 years old. Eleven work schedules were identified. One fourth of the personnel had fixed morning work schedules. The highest level of job satisfaction was found in personnel working in paediatrics while dissatisfaction was strongest in the gerontology and, emergency room personnel. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) scores were high for head nurses, operating room nurses and junior doctors as well as for personnel with rotating and flexible shifts. This study will be used to make recommendations concerning the reduction of working time for French hospital workers.

Validation of the Ottawa ankle rules in France: a study in the surgical emergency department of a teaching hospital

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To validate the Ottawa ankle rules to predict fractures in a French clinical setting when they are used by physicians not involved in their development.

METHODS

We used a prospective patient survey by emergency physicians in a surgical emergency department of a university teaching hospital of the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris. The study group consisted of 416 consecutive patients aged 18 years and older who presented with acute ankle or midfoot injuries in the surgical ED during a 4-month period. Radiography was performed in each patient after clinical evaluation findings were recorded.

RESULTS

Forty-nine ankle and 22 midfoot fractures were diagnosed. The decision rules had a sensitivity of .98, a specificity of .45, and a negative predictive value of .99 in detecting ankle fractures, a sensitivity of 1.0, a specificity of .29, and a negative predictive value of 1.0 in detecting midfoot fractures. The rules failed to predict one avulsion fracture in the ankle group. Application of these rules by emergency physicians would have reduced ankle or midfoot radiography requests by 33%.

CONCLUSION

Use of the Ottawa ankle rules by French emergency physicians not involved in the rules' development resulted in 99% sensitivity and had a potential of reducing radiography requests by 33%.

[Pediatric emergency admission: results of two national surveys on a "given day"]

BACKGROUND

Recently, several measures were implemented to restructure the frame-work of hospital emergency admissions. However, these measures concern primarily adults. Pediatricians made on their own several proposals to improve admission of children. They felt that these proposals should be supported by statistical numbers. Several investigations were then conducted.

POPULATION AND METHODS

The authors report the results of two investigations conducted in January 1994 and January 1995 in all French hospitals admitting children in emergency.

RESULTS

The results shows that 60% of the purposes for consultations are of a general medical nature which does not require emergency assistance. The emergency cases were estimated genuine in only 10% of all incoming patients while all other cases were benign or treated merely as simple outpatient consultations. Accidental pathology represented 30% of all cases. More than half of the children were less than five years old. In most cases, a pediatrician was readily available night and day in all University hospitals which was, unfortunately, not the case in most general hospitals where the number of pediatricians was insufficient to assure night duties.

CONCLUSION

The result of these investigations does not provide an exhaustive picture of the overall pediatric emergencies. It demonstrates, however, the quantitative importance of pediatric emergencies while emphasizing on their differentiation in qualifications and specialization of the practicians and nurses in charge of incoming patients from one hospital to another. It demonstrates that serious efforts need to be made so that the child may be readily directed to an hospital emergency center with appropriate medical and paramedical personnel, a situation which, unfortunately, does not always prevail at present.

[Epidemiological study of sequelae of injuries in adolescents]

BACKGROUND

In all industrialized countries, injuries constitute the primary public health problem during adolescence; study of long-term outcome of injuries to adolescents remains poor.

POPULATION AND METHODS

A longitudinal epidemiological study performed on 8,140 students in 17 secondary schools in Paris and the Department of the Côte-d'Or followed the development over one year of 777 adolescents who had injuries in 1990. All injuries, both within and outside school, were included if they fulfilled the following criteria: school absence or excused from vocational training exceeding or equal to 2 days, or excused from physical education classes for at least 14 days.

RESULTS

One year after the injury, 13% of the adolescents were still bothered by their injury, especially those who were older and the girls. Among described impairments, musculo-skeletal problems (88% of cases) were the major difficulty. These impairments were primarily in the lower limbs (53%). Unaesthetic scars were found in 17% of cases, and a psychological impact was found in 16.5% of the adolescents. The presence of sequelae was related to the type of initial lesion (present in 24% of head injuries and in 16% of cases affecting the lower limbs). The most serious difficulties were caused by dislocations, serious sprains and fractures. One year after the injury, sequelae were serious in 10% of those adolescents still experiencing problems; they had some impact on the daily life of the adolescents in 36% of cases, that is, 5% of all adolescents experiencing an injury. These sequelae were responsible for a high level of consumption of medical services.

CONCLUSIONS

Although observed sequelae were relatively minor, the high frequency of injuries during adolescence, as well as their high economic costs, justify the most appropriate care available for victims of injuries, even those which appear benign. In addition, longitudinal studies should be prepared using adapted tools (scales for the evaluation of the gravity of injury sequelae).