Evaluation the levels of depression, anxiety and quality of life in children who recei̇ved treatmentfor leukemi̇a

Objective: Acute leukemias are a group of diseases that cover a difficult process for families and children, from the diagnosis to the end of the treatment. Patients should be supported psychosocially in the period after the end of the treatment as well as during the period when the leukemia treatment is taken. This study was conducted to explain the importance of quality of life after treatment in children recovering from leukemia. Patients and Methods: 34 patients, aged 8-18 years, who had been treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Polyclinic were included in the study. In the control group, 34 healthy children aged 8-18 years, who had similar characteristics to the patient group in terms of age and gender distribution, who applied to the General Pediatrics Polyclinic, and who did not have any health problems, were included. After filling the patient information and consent form, basic demographic information (age, gender, education level, disease type) was obtained from the participants. Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Children's Depression Inventory and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders were used. The data of the group whose leukemia treatment was completed and the control group were compared with each other. Results: 34 children in both groups, the case group and the control group, were included in the study. The mean age of the case group was 12.50±2.7 years. The mean age of the control group was 13.26±2.62 years. The depression level of the case group was found to be lower than the control group (p=0.013). When evaluated in terms of anxiety levels, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups, panic disorder and somatic complaints, generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety, social anxiety, and school fear scores (p>0.05). It was determined that the time elapsed since the end of the treatment did not significantly affect the level of depression (p=0.613), level of anxiety (p=0,730) and quality of life (p=0.172).Physical health total score was found to be significantly higher in the case group and in the 13-18 age group compared to the control group (p=0.014). It was observed that as the quality of life of the children in the case group improved, their depression and anxiety levels decreased (r=-0.467, p=0.005). Conclusion: Depression levels of the leukemia survivor group were found to be lower than the control group. Quality of life levels were higher than the control group. When depression, anxiety and quality of life were compared with each other, it was determined that an increase in depression and anxiety level decreased the quality of life. After the end of the treatment process of acute leukemias, follow-up should be done not only from the hematological point of view, but also from the psychosocial point of view. Since the increase in depression and anxiety level will affect the quality of life, children with depressive symptoms or high levels of anxiety should be provided with early psychiatric support. Keywords: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, depression, anxiety, quality of life