Use of a children questionnaire of health-related quality of life (KIDSCREEN) as a measure of needs for health care services

PurposeTo check if the expected association is observed between children and adolescents’ self-perceived health-related quality of life (HRQL) and the use of health care services.MethodsThe data come from the pilot test of a European measure of HRQL for children and adolescents (KIDSCREEN). Children answered the KIDSCREEN 52-item pilot version. Visits to a health professional in the past four weeks and hospitalisation in the past 12 months were collected from parents. A logistic regression model was adjusted to analyse the relationship between the use of health services and HRQL.ResultsA total of 2526 children and their parents were included in the analysis. Factors associated to visits in the past four weeks were poor physical well-being (odds ratio [OR] 1.83; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42–2.35), and poor school environment (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.02–1.71). Low scores on moods and emotions was the associated factor to hospitalization in the past 12 months (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.29–3.81).ConclusionsChildren and adolescents are a feasible source for their self-assessment of HRQL. They should be taken into account in health care needs studies.