Fatigue, anxiety and depression in parents of children with retinoblastoma: a cohort study

Transl Pediatr. 2025 Jul 31;14(7):1432-1442. doi: 10.21037/tp-2025-145. Epub 2025 Jul 18.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common primary ocular malignancy in childhood, possibly causing vision loss and even a threat to life. Parents, as the primary caregivers of children with RB, are prone to negative emotions such as fatigue, anxiety, and depression. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal fluctuations in fatigue, anxiety, and depression in parents of children with RB and the factors influencing them.

METHODS: Parents of children with RB who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were surveyed using the General Demographic Information Questionnaire, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2). A follow-up questionnaire survey was conducted at the 18^th month.

RESULTS: Fatigue, anxiety, and depression among parents of children with RB exhibited fluctuations over time. Independent factors influencing fatigue included the child’s sex and parents’ self-reported health. The independent factors influencing anxiety included parents’ self-reported health and family income. The independent factors influencing depression included parents’ self-reported health and family income, with differences being statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Parents of children with RB experience severe fatigue, anxiety and depression, which are fluctuated and influenced by multiple factors. Clinical staff should pay attention to early screening and early detection of high-risk groups and formulate reasonable interventions to prevent and reduce these conditions.

PMID:40800197 | PMC:PMC12336906 | DOI:10.21037/tp-2025-145