{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nGrowth hormone (GH) treatment in children is increasingly used across diverse clinical indications, yet evidence regarding caregivers' experiences, decision-making, and information needs in routine practice remains limited.Objective\n\nTo investigate caregiver experiences, treatment-related decision-making, and unmet information needs associated with pediatric GH therapy in Korea.Methods\n\nA cross-sectional online survey was conducted between October and December 2024 among 991 caregivers of children who had received GH injections within the previous 5 years. Participants were recruited using quota sampling based on the type and geographic region of prescribing institutions. The questionnaire assessed treatment background, decision-making processes, information needs, caregiver-perceived benefits, caregiver-reported adverse experiences, challenges during treatment, and overall satisfaction. All diagnoses, benefits, and adverse effects were caregiver-reported and not clinically confirmed.Results\n\nAmong participating caregivers, 36.5% reported that their child had an underlying condition, most commonly idiopathic short stature. Height growth was the most frequently reported reason for initiating GH treatment. Parents were the primary decision-makers, while 13.8% of caregivers reported that their child's agreement had not been confirmed before treatment initiation. Unmet information needs were most frequently related to treatment timing, differences among GH products, and potential adverse effects. Caregivers also reported challenges related to uncertainty about treatment timing, inconsistent clinical recommendations, treatment costs, and the burden of daily injections. Although caregivers generally reported positive treatment experiences, satisfaction was highest for healthcare accessibility and lowest for treatment costs.Conclusion\n\nCaregivers of children receiving GH therapy reported substantial information needs and decision-making challenges despite generally positive treatment experiences. These caregiver-reported findings underscore the importance of improving communication, patient education, and shared decision-making to support informed treatment decisions in pediatric GH care.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Division of Healthcare Research, National Evidence-Based Healthcare Collaborating Agency, Seoul, Republic of Korea."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yeryeon Jung"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Dohee Ahn",
      "orcid": "0009-0000-4908-221X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jeong-Yeon Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ji Eun Yun",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2538-594X"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8xqt06yx46mqd.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.2147/ppa.s640171",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13724042",
  "id": "8xqt06yx46mqd",
  "issns": [
    "1177-889X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968824",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2712|Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7224077491",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13724042?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13724042",
  "pmid": "42968824",
  "published": "2026-10-28",
  "publisher": "Dove Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8xqt06yx46mqd.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-03T15:20:53Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42968824",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968824"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T12:22:34Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13724042",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.2147/ppa.s640171"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2712|Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors",
      "subfield": "endocrinology-metabolism"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Caregiver Experiences, Treatment Decision-Making, and Unmet Information Needs During Pediatric Growth Hormone Therapy: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in Korea.",
  "title_text": "Caregiver Experiences, Treatment Decision-Making, and Unmet Information Needs During Pediatric Growth Hormone Therapy: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in Korea.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-05T12:20:45Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8xqt06yx46mqd",
  "venue": "Patient preference and adherence",
  "versions": []
}