Date Approved

4-1998

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Nursing (M.S.N.)

Degree Program

College of Nursing

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess grandparents' perceptions of their quality of life (QOL) after the diagnosis and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in their grandchild. The following questions were addressed: (a) How do grandparents of children with ALL perceive their current QOL; (b) How do grandparents of children with ALL perceive their current QOL has changed since their grandchild was diagnosed; (c) What specific changes in QOL have grandparents experienced since the diagnosis of ALL in their grandchild; (d) What is the grandparents' overall attitude about life with leukemia; (e) Is there a relationship between the length of time since the diagnosis of ALL in their grandchild and the grandparents' current QOL; (f) Is there a relationship between length of time since the diagnosis of ALL in their grandchild and perceived changes in the grandparents' QOL? Using Roy's Adaptation Model as a theoretical framework, a descriptive research design was used. A convenience sample of 29 grandparents completed the Varricchio-Wright Impact of Leukemia Questionnaire-Grandparents and a Demographic Information Sheet. Measures of central tendency were used to answer the first two research questions. Grandparents' perceived their current QOL to be good to neither good nor poor. They reported their QOL to be the same as prior to ALL in their grandchild. There was no relationship found between length of time from diagnosis and either current QOL or changes in QOL. Implications for nursing practice are discussed.

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