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Pediatric Health-Related Quality-of-Life Measurement Technology: Intersections between Science, Managed Care, and Clinical Care

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Abstract

The demand for health care outcomes assessment is increasing, driven by the proliferation of managed care as a form of health care financing. Providers, consumers, and payers can use health care outcomes to improve the efficiency and quality of care, spur performance improvement, and demonstrate accountability. This review introduces health outcomes and focuses on one particular outcome—pediatric health-related quality of life (HRQOL), exemplified by the PedsQL™, a brief, practical, reliable, valid, and responsive measure of pediatric HRQOL. HRQOL measurement has the potential, in pediatric clinical practice, to improve assessment, clinical management, and treatment evaluation if practical, conceptual, and empirical challenges are addressed. These issues are discussed and directions for future research are described that would demonstrate the value of HRQOL measurement in pediatric clinical settings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Child Health Outcomes, Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego, California

    Michael Seid & Jenifer R. Jacobs

  2. Center for Child Health Outcomes, Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego, and

    James W. Varni

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego

    James W. Varni

  4. School of Medicine, San Diego, California

    James W. Varni

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  1. Michael Seid
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  3. Jenifer R. Jacobs
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Seid, M., Varni, J.W. & Jacobs, J.R. Pediatric Health-Related Quality-of-Life Measurement Technology: Intersections between Science, Managed Care, and Clinical Care. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings 7, 17–27 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009541218764

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