[The quality of life of chronically ill and psychiatrically disturbed children. Initial experiences with an inventory for assessing quality of life in children and adolescents].
OBJECTIVE
The assessment of the quality of life in chronically ill children as well as in children with emotional and behavioural problems.


METHODS
A series of questionnaires (Inventar zur Erfassung der Lebensqualität bei Kindern und Jugendlichen, ILK, Mattejat et al.) were administered to 360 patients and 288 mothers at the Vienna University Children's Hospital.


RESULTS
The results clearly show that patients with diabetes rate themselves as the most emotionally burdened and impaired in nearly all aspects of life: a picture which is confirmed by their mothers. Children and adolescents with psychological problems judge the initial problem as well as their social environment as significantly more burdensome. The respective mothers of these psychologically ill children feel that their impairments are greater in more aspects of life than do mothers of children who are chronically ill. The children generally pinpoint most of their difficulties in the areas "ability to occupy myself" and "psychological health". Among adolescents the most negative ratings occur in the areas "school", "psychological health", and "initial problem".


CONCLUSIONS
The child's problems seem to weigh heavily upon the mothers. Interventions aimed at adolescents and mothers should be based on problem solving: supportive and anxiety-reducing approaches seem best suited for chronically ill children. Children with psychological problems primarily need problem-centred and practical support.
Wurst
E
E
Univ. Klinik für Kinder und Jugendheilkunde, Wien.
Herle
M
M
Fuiko
R
R
Hajszan
M
M
Katkhouda
C
C
Kieboom
A
A
Schubert
M T
MT
D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012931:Social Environment