Evaluation of Quality of Life in Mothers of Children with Down Syndrome

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life and related factors in mothers of&nbsp;children with Down syndrome. Methods: The study method was correlation-survey (sectional). Sampling was based on the&nbsp;available population. The research population consisted of all mothers of children with Down&nbsp;syndrome referred to the Down Syndrome Center: out of them 70 mothers of children with Down&nbsp;syndrome were randomly selected for study sample. Research tools were the WHO &ldquo;quality of life&rdquo; questionnaire, as well as a demographic and background information questionnaire. Data&nbsp;were analyzed using SPSS-16 software and ANOVA, multiple regression analysis and t-test. Results: The results showed a significant association of physical health and environmental&nbsp;health with the housing type (P<0.05). So that mothers living in private houses have higher&nbsp;physical and environmental health than those who live in rental houses. But, There were no&nbsp;significant relationship between the independent variables and the other subscales and total&nbsp;score of &ldquo;quality of life&rdquo; (P>0.05). Conclusion: People&rsquo;s negative attitude toward some disabilities and limitations, society&rsquo;s little&nbsp;information, inappropriate cultural, social, and economic conditions, and insufficient available&nbsp;resources can be the most important factors affecting the quality of life. It is recommended that&nbsp;the relevant organizations provide services and conditions for mothers of children with Down&nbsp;syndrome in order to improve their quality of life and health.