Importance of parental anxiety in management of developmental breast conditions in children: A study with a prospective hierarchical regression model

Abstract

The parent is the most critical link and decision-maker between the patient and the healthcare provider in treating many pediatric diseases. This entity is essential for the management of pediatric breast diseases for which the rate of surgical intervention is known to be very low. Although previous publications have emphasized that pediatric breast diseases may cause alarming anxiety in parents, the demographic factors that influence this anxiety have not been investigated. Even if practitioners complete patient management with appropriate procedures, treatment is incomplete if the questions remain unanswered. In this observational prospective study, we investigated the demographic factors that affect parental anxiety, which should be prioritized to prevent incomplete management. The Beck Anxiety Inventory score (BAS) created by the parents of 409 boys and girls aged 0 to 17 with breast conditions was recorded at the diagnosis, termination of treatment, and final control stages. A 2-stage hierarchical logistic regression model was applied to show how strongly the demographic characteristics of parents and their children predicted the parental BAS. Of the demographic characteristics, there was a significant correlation (P < .05) between the patient’s sex, age, developmental period, Tanner stage, referral status, management method, family’s place of residence, economic distress, and BAS. However, according to the 2-stage hierarchical regression model, only 3 demographic characteristics, the patient’s gender, place of residence, and method used in patient management, significantly predicted BAS (P < .05, ΔR 2 = .35). Among the many factors that affect anxiety experienced by parents whose son or daughter has breast problems, the gender of the child, place of residence of the family, and management methods used by the practitioner are demographic characteristics that should be taken into consideration.