Prevalence and associated factors of post-traumatic stress symptoms in hospitalised children with cancer and their parents in South China: A multicentred cross-sectional study

Objective: This study aimed to examine the prevalence and risk factors of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) in hospitalised children with cancer and their parents and explore the PTSS correlation between parents and children.

Methods: Data were collected using the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder-Reaction Index for DSM-IV and the Chinese version of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised Questionnaire.

Results: Out of 203 families with hospitalised children with cancer, 77.3% of parents and 7.9% of children experienced PTSS. Time since diagnosis of less than 3 months (β = -0.063, P < 0.001), actively seeking financial help (β = -0.190, P = 0.031), children living in rural areas (β = 0.166, P = 0.023) and having a daughter with cancer (β = 0.135, P = 0.040) were risk factors for parental PTSS. At the early stages of diagnosis (β = 0.118, P = 0.017), recurrence (β = 0.140, P = 0.042) and low monthly household income (β = -0.283, P = 0.003) were risk factors for children's PTSS. No significant correlation between parental PTSS and children's PTSS (r = -0.06, P > 0.05).

Conclusions: The hospitalised children with cancer had a low prevalence of PTSS, but their parents' PTSS prevalence was high. No significant correlation was observed between parental and children's PTSS. Attention should be given to the mental health of families with hospitalised children with cancer. Early psychosocial support should be provided, especially to families with poor economic situations and a newly diagnosed or relapsed child.