Generic health-related quality of life instruments in children and adolescents: a qualitative analysis of content.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the extent of differences and similarities in content between heath-related quality of life (HRQOL) instruments for children and adolescents.


METHODS
A descriptive and explanatory qualitative approach was carried out. Instruments specifically designed for use with children or adolescents were included. To assure the validity of the findings a triangulation of the analysis and "member checking" were performed.


RESULTS
Ten questionnaires were analyzed. All of them included items referring to physical, psychological, and social aspects of health. A relatively low number of categories explained the content of the questionnaires.


CONCLUSIONS
A reasonably coherent notion of HRQOL underlies instruments available for children and adolescents. HRQOL measurement in young people is still in its developmental step.
Rajmil
Luis
L
Catalan Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Research, Recinte Parc sanitari Pere Virgili, Esteve Terradas, 30 Edifici Mestral 1a Planta, Barcelona 08023, Spain. lrajmil@aatrm.catsalut.net
Herdman
Michael
M
Fernandez de Sanmamed
Maria-Jose
MJ
Detmar
Symone
S
Bruil
Jeanet
J
Ravens-Sieberer
Ulrike
U
Bullinger
Monika
M
Simeoni
Marie-Claude
MC
Auquier
Pascal
P
D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*