A qualidade de vida da criança e do adolescente com deficiência visual

Abstract

We currently live in a society with a predominant appeal to the use of vision. Knowing that visual impairment (VI) is a problem that limits people's lives, obviously it will also affect their quality of live (QoL). In trying to understand the QoL of children and adolescents with VI, this study of exploratory, descriptive and correlational nature, aims to know the perceptions of these on their QoL and parental perception of QoL of their children. This study also aims to evaluate QoL in the perspective of: low vision (LV) and blindness (B), gender and age of children and adolescents. Based on the application of a questionnaire, KIDSCREEN 52, 18 children and adolescents and their respective parents/guardians were inquired. It concluded that children and adolescents have a positive perception about their QoL, as well as parents about QoL of their children. Given the type of VI, children and adolescents with LV have higher values on QoL. With regard to gender, the males have higher values and in regard to age, children have higher values on their QoL. Considering the comparative analyze between the children and parents perceptions there are statistical differences between both and, although with little significant difference, the children's perceptions are higher than their respective parents. Given the small sample size one cannot generalize the data, but they are important and allow us to know the perceptions of children and adolescents on QoL, as well as, those of their parents. The results also provide relevant information to their own families, school and particularly in terms of health services, in order to enhance the QOL of this specific population.

Date of Award	11 Jul 2016
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Célia dos Prazeres Ribeiro (Supervisor) & Maria Cristina Marques Ferreira Simões (Co-Supervisor)