THE OBJECTIVE of the study was to determine the influence of perceived social support on health related quality of life (HRQL) in children and adolescents.
Material and methods: Data was obtained through KIDSCREEN study (Screening for and Promotion of Health Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents. A European Public Health Perspective) conducted in Poland in 2003, were used. The representative sample comprised 1718 children and adolescents aged 8-18-years. Full version of the KIDSCREEN questionnaire including 52 items grouped into 10 dimensions was used. A short, 3 items Oslo social support scale was used and three levels of social support were defined. Differences between mean values of quality of life scores in three groups of social support were tested using ANOVA method with F-statistics significance and eta square measure of association (h2). RESULTS showed that 46% of Polish children and adolescents reported high, 44% middle and 10% low level of perceived social support. Girls perceived social support better than boys and children better than adolescents. The study showed that the level of perceived social support had essential and positive influence on the quality of life in children and adolescents in all ten dimensions (p<0.001). Children with insufficient social support reported lower quality of life in comparison to well supported, especially in Parents Relations and Home Life dimension, h2=0.186. Difference between boys and girls and three age groups under study was the highest in the low supported group and then leveled out when social support increased.
Conclusion: Social support, especially provided by parents, increases the quality of life in children and adolescents.