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Health-related quality of life in children and adolescents in Germany: results of the BELLA study

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Abstract

Background

The self-perceived health or health-related quality of life of children and adolescents is increasingly recognised as a relevant outcome in medical practice and public health research. Identifying children and adolescents with particularly low health-related quality of life allows for an early detection of hidden morbidity and health care needs.

Objectives

The present study investigates health-related quality of life in children and adolescents in Germany.

Methods

In the Mental Health Module (BELLA study) of the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS), the parents of 2,863 children and adolescents aged 7–17 years, and 1,700 children and adolescents aged 11–17 years completed the KINDL-R quality of life questionnaire.

Results

The reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.86) and validity of the measurements using the parent-reported KINDL-R were confirmed. Means and percentiles were calculated for the total sample as well as for strata defined by age, sex, geographical region (east/west), migration status and socioeconomic status. Expected differences in health-related quality of life of children and adolescents from different social backgrounds and with different health statuses were demonstrated by differences in the KINDL-R scores (effect size d up to 1.29).

Conclusion

This study provides representative, normative data (self-report and parent-report) on the test scores of health-related quality of life (KINDL-R) for the population of children and adolescents in Germany in general, as well as in sociodemographic and socioeconomic subpopulations.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Obstetrics and Paediatrics, Dept. of Psychosomatics in Children and Adolescents, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistaße 52, W29, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer MPH,  Michael Erhart &  Nora Wille MPH

  2. Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Institute and Polyclinic for Medical Psychology, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

    Monika Bullinger

Authors
  1. Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer MPH
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  2. Michael Erhart
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  3. Nora Wille MPH
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  4. Monika Bullinger
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the BELLA study group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer MPH.

Additional information

Members of the BELLA study group: Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer (Principal Investigator), Claus Barkmann, Susanne Bettge, Monika Bullinger, Manfred Döpfner, Michael Erhart, Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann, Heike Hölling, Franz Resch, Aribert Rothenberger, Michael Schulte-Markwort, Nora Wille, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen.

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Ravens-Sieberer, U., Erhart, M., Wille, N. et al. Health-related quality of life in children and adolescents in Germany: results of the BELLA study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 17 (Suppl 1), 148–156 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-008-1016-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-008-1016-x

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