Determinants of health-related quality of life in school-aged children: a general population study in the Netherlands

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 10; no. 5; p. e0125083
• Main Authors: Houben-van Herten, Marieke, Bai, Guannan, Hafkamp, Esther, Landgraf, Jeanne M, Raat, Hein
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01-05-2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Age; Analysis; Child; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child health; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Childrens health; Data collection; Demographics; Disorders; Families & family life; Female; Gender; Health; Health care; Health policy; Humans; Male; Multivariate Analysis; Netherlands - epidemiology; Obesity; Parenting; Parents; Population studies; Public health; Quality of Life; Questionnaires; Regression Analysis; Schools - statistics & numerical data; Socioeconomic factors; Standard deviation; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Netherlands
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0125083

Health related quality of life is the functional effect of a medical condition and/or its therapy upon a patient, and as such is particularly suitable for describing the general health of children. The objective of this study was to identify and confirm potential determinants of health-related quality of life in children aged 4-11 years in the general population in the Netherlands. Understanding such determinants may provide insights into more targeted public health policy.
As part of a population based cross sectional study, the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) Parental Form 28 was used to measure health-related quality of life in school-aged children in a general population sample. Parents of 10,651 children aged 4-11 years were interviewed from January 2001 to December 2009.
Multivariate and regression analyses demonstrated a declined CHQ Physical Summary score for children who had >1 conditions, disorders or acute health complaints and who were greater consumers of healthcare; children with a non-western immigrant background; and children whose parents did not work. Lower CHQ Psychosocial Summary score was reported for children who had >1 conditions, disorders or acute health complaints, boys, children of single parents and obese children.
The best predictors of health-related quality of life are variables that describe use of health care and the number of disorders and health complaints. Nonetheless, a number of demographic, socio-economic and family/environmental determinants contribute to a child's health-related quality of life as well.