Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41546723›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of pediatrics2026

Medical fear of children with leukemia and its influencing factors: a qualitative study from China.

Xiaonan Wu, Cong Chen, Shenjie Chen, Runping Wang, Qianhe Chen, Kaiyao Jiang, Chunmei Zhang

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Article in European journal of pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Xiaonan WuThe Second Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Street, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-6141-5971
Cong ChenThe Second Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Street, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-4542-7437
Shenjie ChenThe Second Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Street, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-8454-090X
Runping WangPediatric Hematological Oncology Department, The Second Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Street, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.
Qianhe ChenGeneral Party and Government Office, The Second Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No. 1111, Wenzhou Avenue (East Section), Yaoxi Street, Longwan District, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-1691-0956
Kaiyao JiangJinhua Central Hospital, No. 365, Renmin East Road, Wucheng District, Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-8408-5324
Chunmei ZhangGeneral Party and Government Office, The Second Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No. 1111, Wenzhou Avenue (East Section), Yaoxi Street, Longwan District, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. sallyzcm@126.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4428-5899

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Children diagnosed with leukemia often undergo prolonged hospitalization for chemotherapy, during which treatment-related fears may adversely affect both their immediate treatment response and long-term psychological development. This study aims to deeply explore the nature and dynamics of medical fears in children with leukemia during chemotherapy. This study was conducted under a qualitative research design, employing a phenomenological approach. Semi-structured interviews centered around four core questions regarding the medical fear experiences of children with leukemia were carried out with 12 child-caregiver dyads. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological analysis method to identify and describe the medical fears of these children and their influencing factors. Four main themes were identified: (i) pain-centered fear experience; (ii) fear of death and its variations; (iii) fear of lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspiration and its variations; and (iv) transmission of fear by caregivers. Pain remained the central factor influencing medical fear. Children's fears predominantly concerned death and invasive procedures, with intensity varying across treatment phases. Caregivers' fears also changed over time and mutually influenced the children's emotional states.Conclusion: The findings highlight the complexity of medical fears in children with leukemia and underscore the influential role of caregivers-as the closest emotional bonds-in shaping these fears. Understanding the dynamics of children's fears and the role of caregivers is essential for providing effective family-centered support. What is Known • Medical fears can negatively affect children's engagement with healthcare. • The treatment experience of children with leukemia may impair their social adaptation. What is New • Medical fears in children with leukemia focus on death and invasive procedures, with distinct causes across treatment stages. • Caregivers also experience medical fears, and their emotional linkage significantly affects the child's fear. Dynamic assessment of both child and caregiver fears is essential to deliver timely family-oriented support.

Indexed as

FearLeukemiaAdolescentCaregiversChildChild, PreschoolChinaFemaleHumansMaleQualitative ResearchChildrenLeukemiaMedical fearQualitative study

Identifiers

PMID41546723

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.