Parental perceptions of health related quality of life of Albanian children with epilepsy
Epilepsy adversely affects the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children living with it. Even though almost 80% of children with epilepsy live in developing countries very little research has been conducted with the specific population. The present study took place in Albania and aimed to investigate parental per ceptions of the HRQoL of their children with epilepsy. Considering the well-defined gender roles in the Albanian traditional family it was expected that mothers and fathers reports of their children’s HRQoL would differ. Results showed no differences in maternal and pater nal reports; instead there was a moderate cor respondence between the reports across all dimensions. Parents also reported the highest scores of HRQoL in the interpersonal dimen sion and the lowest scores in the intrapersonal dimension. The findings have implications in the context of future research and also medical care for children with epilepsy in Albania.
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