Higher severity of infant RSV infections is associated with lower parental quality of life – a European observational study

Abstract Background RSV infections in children affect the entire family. Nevertheless, evidence on the overall impact is scarce. This multi-country observational study aims to investigate the association between disease severity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in affected families and to explore the role of factors related to mental well-being. Methodology Data were collected during the 2022–2023 RSV season in Germany, France, Italy and Sweden via an online questionnaire from parents of children (24 months) hospitalised for RSV. Parental HRQoL was assessed using the validated caregiver-reported PedsQL Family Impact Module. Exploratory analyses and multivariate linear regression models were performed focusing on potential key determinants. Results A total set of 138 participants was assembled. Parents of children with a severe RSV infection had on average − 12.1 [95% CI: −21.2 to − 3.03; P = 0.010] lower HRQoL Summary Score than parents of children with low severity index scores. Subsequent stratified analyses revealed a stronger association among parents who had not been offered (adequate) mental health support. Conclusion Higher RSV disease severity was associated with lower parental HRQoL. These findings highlight the importance of preventing severe RSV infection and the need for further research to identify and evaluate appropriate (psychosocial) support for affected families. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier, NCT05550545. Registered 12 September 2022.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes
Published
2026-07-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-026-01157-3
Primary Topic
Respiratory viral infections research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Higher severity of infant RSV infections is associated with lower parental quality of life – a European observational study

Raffaella Nenna, Luc J. I. Zimmermann, Karl Rombo, Silke Mader et al.
Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes
Respiratory viral infections research
article

Higher severity of infant RSV infections is associated with lower parental quality of life – a European observational study

Raffaella Nenna, Luc J. I. Zimmermann, Karl Rombo, Silke Mader, S Wellmann, Audrey Reynaud, Kajsa Bohlin, Christina Tischer, Brigitte Essers, Ilona Trautmannsberger, Katarina Eglin, Ulrike Ravens‐Sieberer, Philippe Beutels, Catherine Weil-Olivier, Christian Apfelbacher, Barbara Plagg, Sabina Bösl, Ina Adamek, De Luca, Sven Arne Silfverdal, F Midulla, Martin Wetzke, Louis Bont, Philippe Beutels, Susanna Esposito, the ResQ Family study group
article en

Abstract

Abstract Background RSV infections in children affect the entire family. Nevertheless, evidence on the overall impact is scarce. This multi-country observational study aims to investigate the association between disease severity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in affected families and to explore the role of factors related to mental well-being. Methodology Data were collected during the 2022–2023 RSV season in Germany, France, Italy and Sweden via an online questionnaire from parents of children (24 months) hospitalised for RSV. Parental HRQoL was assessed using the validated caregiver-reported PedsQL Family Impact Module. Exploratory analyses and multivariate linear regression models were performed focusing on potential key determinants. Results A total set of 138 participants was assembled. Parents of children with a severe RSV infection had on average − 12.1 [95% CI: −21.2 to − 3.03; P = 0.010] lower HRQoL Summary Score than parents of children with low severity index scores. Subsequent stratified analyses revealed a stronger association among parents who had not been offered (adequate) mental health support. Conclusion Higher RSV disease severity was associated with lower parental HRQoL. These findings highlight the importance of preventing severe RSV infection and the need for further research to identify and evaluate appropriate (psychosocial) support for affected families. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier, NCT05550545. Registered 12 September 2022.

Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes
University of Parma (IT), Hôpital américain de paris (FR), Karolinska University Hospital (SE), University of Antwerp (BE), Universität Hamburg (DE), Université Paris Cité (FR), Université Paris-Saclay (FR), Maastricht University Medical Centre (NL), Karolinska Institutet (SE), Maastricht University (NL), Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (DE), Foundation for Child Development (US), Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (FR), Demensförbundet (SE), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE), Infectious Diseases Institute (UG), Swedish Stroke Association (SE), Barilla (Italy) (IT), Wilhelmina Children's Hospital (NL), Bundesverband Flachglas (DE), University of Regensburg (DE), Sapienza University of Rome (IT), Umeå University (SE), Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg (DE)
Openalex Percentile: Top 8%
Respiratory viral infections research
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