Assessing health-related quality of life in European children and adolescents

Corinna Petersen-Ewert; Michael Erhart; Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.02.012

Assessing health-related quality of life in European children and adolescents

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2011 Aug;35(8):1752-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.02.012. Epub 2011 Mar 2.

Authors

Corinna Petersen-Ewert¹, Michael Erhart, Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer

Affiliation

¹ Department of Nursing and Management, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, Germany.

PMID: 21376078
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.02.012

Abstract

Childhood health and illness have changed considerably over the past century calling for an increasing awareness of mental health problems. Consequently, the assessment of mental health problems is of major importance, not only focussing on mental health diagnoses but also on components of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and functioning with regard to the impact of an illness or injury, medical treatment, or health care policy. Recently, a number of HRQOL measures for children and adolescents have been developed and applied in a number of studies. The current paper presents multi-cultural tools for the assessment of HRQOL, which were developed within European projects, describes the application of these tools in cross-national studies and pinpoints important determinants of HRQOL and mental health problems. Future research needs are discussed.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Cross-Cultural Comparison*
Europe
Health Status Indicators
Health Status*
Humans
Mental Disorders / diagnosis*
Mental Disorders / psychology
Mental Disorders / therapy
Psychology, Adolescent*
Psychology, Child*
Quality of Life / psychology*