Effect of family management styles on the outcomes of children with complex congenital heart disease after palliative surgery

TL;DR

This study shows that family management styles after surgery for children with heart defects strongly affect their quality of life and hospital readmission rates.

Contribution

The study identifies four distinct family management styles and links them to specific health outcomes in children with complex congenital heart disease.

Findings

Children with an Active and Collaborative family style had the highest quality of life.

The Chaotic and Nervous family style was associated with the lowest quality of life and higher readmission rates.

Unplanned readmission rates were significantly higher in the Laissez-Faire and Chaotic and Nervous family styles.

Abstract

This study aimed to explore family management style (FMS) after palliative surgery in children with complex congenital heart disease (CCHD) and evaluate its influence on their outcomes.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 252 families of children with CCHD who underwent palliative surgery at our center. The Family Management Measure was used to investigate their FMS, and the outcomes with different FMSs were analyzed. Cluster analysis was employed to classify the FMSs into distinct groups.

The cluster analysis identified four FMSs, namely, the Active and Collaborative (Cluster 1, 29.37%), the Chaotic and Nervous (Cluster 2, 10.71%), the Confident and Caring (Cluster 3, 22.22%), and the Laissez-Faire style (Cluster 4, 37.70%). Children in Cluster 1 demonstrated the highest quality of life, while those in Cluster 2 had the lowest (73.93 ± 12.71 and 59.03 ± 18.70, P < 0.01). The unplanned readmission rates were significantly higher in Clusters 2 and 4 (18.52% and 22.11%) compared to Clusters 1 and 3 (4.05% and 3.57%, P < 0.01).

The findings highlight the significant influence of FMS on the outcomes of children with CCHD following palliative surgery. The children in Cluster 1 exhibited the most favorable quality of life, whereas those in Cluster 2 had the worst. Health professionals should implement interventions to optimize FMS.