Results
This study included 132 CF patients and 135 healthy peers. The mean age was 11.53±2.86 and 11.76±3.15 years respectively, in CF group and control group (p=0.98). There were 55 girls (41.7%) in CF group and 81 girls (60%) in control group (p=0.027).
Of the 132 CF patients, 95 (72%) had pancreatic insuffiency, 41 (31.1%) were colonised with Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, 59 (44.7%) had normal FEV1 value, 40 (30.3%) had mild, 23 (17.4%) had moderate and 5 (3.8%) of them had severe lung disease. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of severity of the disease and anxiety levels of CF patients (p >0.05). Comparison of psychosocial and psychological findings between CF patients and control group was presented in Table-1. CF patients were found to be less anxious for family members having the risk of COVID-19, less upset for the school closure, less anxious about the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001, 0.02, 0.01 respectively). Control group was more overthinking about the pandemic, and feeling sad, lonely or reluctant to have playful time (p=0.03 and 0.02, respectively). Control group also tried to have new hobbies more compared to CF group (p= 0.01).
In CF group 71 (53.8%) of patients were children and 61 (46.2%) were adolescents. Children were feeling more upset for the school closure (p=0.01) and more anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic (p=0.008), had more appetite changes (p=0.03), expressed more reluctance of doing homework for online education (p=0.03), engaging activities to decrease their anxiety (p=0.01), tried to find new hobbies during lockdown (p=0.005) and needed psychological help (p=0.059) more than adolescents. Adolescents communicated with their friends via social media more than children (p=0.005). Comparison of psychological and psychosocial findings in CF group as children and adolescent was presented in Table-2.
In control group, 79 (58.5%) of them were children and 56 (41.5%) of them were adolescents. Although adolescents communicated with their friends from social media more than children (p=0.003), children felt happier for communicating online with their friends (p=0.02). Also children engaged new activities and needed for psychological help more than adolescents (p value 0.008 and 0.11 respectively). Comparison of psychosocial and psychological findings in control group as children and adolescent was presented in Table-3
In our country examinations for high school and university admission are big stressors for adolescents. Twenty-four (39.4%) of CF and 17 (30.4%) of control group had admission examinations for high school or university. We also asked these adolescents if the pandemic, school closure and online education increased their anxiety. Although it was not statistically significant (p=0.21), exam anxiety was higher in control group compared to CF patients (46.4% vs 24.6%).