Impact of congenital heart disease upon children physical growth pattern in cardiac Center–Erbil Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Abstract EN

Objective : the study aimed to assess the impact of congenital heart disease upon children's physocal growth pattern with some variables in Surgical Specialty Hospital / Cardiac Center in Erbil / Kurdistan Region / Iraq.

Methods : A descriptive correlation study was conducted in Surgical Specialty Hospital / Cardiac Center in Erbil / Kurdistan Region/Iraq from first of March 2010 to the end of September 2011.

A purposive sample of 200 children with congenital heart disease were selected.

The tool is consisting of three parts questionnaire format Socio-demographical characteristic, medical data of children, and tool and physical growth measurement questions.

The validity of the study questionnaire was determined initially through a panel of (21) experts.

Determination.

Data were collected by the mothers' interview and the data were analyzed through using by Excel and SPSS version17 programmed.

Results : the present study indicated that the most of children (51.5 %) were male, (59 %) were coming from urban areas, (39 %) were living in Hawler Governorate, (51.5 %) were from low socioeconomic status, and 51.5 % was diagnosis before three years.

The findings of the study indicate that the Congenital Heart Disease had been affect growth pattern and there is a statistically significant association between socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, residential area, and severity of disease) and their growth pattern.

Conclusion : the study indicated that there is a high significant association between the children socio demographic data and growth pattern.

Recommendation.

1-Mass media, TV and radio, lectures in different community associations or in health centers regarding risk factor, prevention of CHD.

2-Nurses should have special training to give effective care to the children.3-Further studies are necessary to be conducted with large sample size to improve the intervention the disease.