TITLE:
Health, Wellbeing and Self-Esteem: Web-Based Support in Children with Urogenital or Bowel Malformation
AUTHORS:
Agneta Simeonsdotter Svensson, Margaretha Jenholt Nolbris, Gundela Holmdahl, Anna-Lena Hellström
KEYWORDS:
Bladder, Person-Centred Care, Preschool Children, Self-Esteem, Urogenital Malformation, Web-Based Intervention, Wellbeing
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.6 No.1,
March
15,
2016
ABSTRACT: Children with urogenital
malformation or bowel disturbances are a vulnerable group and are at risk of
experiencing ill health. At school they have to face and cope with situations
they are unused to and often feel excluded. There is a lack of studies
investigating prevention of ill health in this group of children. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the health/well-being and self-esteem, before
and after a one-year intervention comprising person-centred, web-based learning
support, in preschool children born with malformations in the urethra, bladder,
genitals and/or bowel. Study design: Nine boys and one girl participated, aged 3 - 7 years
(study group) with diagnoses of epispadia, bladder exstrophy, urethra valves
and Hirschprung’s disease. Two questionnaires were used, developed to measure
index of health/wellbeing and self-esteem in younger children. In the study
group, the interviews were repeated after one year. The group was compared with
a control group of 20 healthy, age-matched children. Results: Before the intervention,
there were no differences in wellbeing (Children condition index) between the study group and the control group. One
year after the start of the web-based preschool, wellbeing in the study group
had slightly improved, but not significantly compared to before the
intervention. No significant difference was found compared to the control
group. When measured self-esteem (I think I am) before the intervention, the study group
had significantly better self-esteem compared to the control group. One year
later, there was a slight improvement in self-esteem, but two children scored
worse in the domain Psychological wellbeing. In comparison with the group of
healthy children, the self-esteem in the study group was better for total sum
(p = 0.0002). Discussion: Wellbeing and self-esteem seem to be good in children
aged 3 - 7 years with uro-genital and bowel malformations, according to the
findings of this study. This is better than reports concerning older children.
Despite high initial values compared to healthy children, continued, but not
significant, improvement in wellbeing and self-esteem was shown one year after
intervention. Conclusions: The results of the intervention aimed at promoting
health, wellbeing and self-esteem are promising but a longer-term follow-up in
a larger group of children is needed.