Validity of the child health questionnaire for use in children with sickle cell disease.
OBJECTIVE
To provide accurate data on health-related quality of life (HRQL), there must be a valid tool to measure this outcome. The objective of this study was to determine the validity of the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) as a measure of HRQL in sickle cell disease (SCD) by examining the relationship between HRQL and disease severity.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of children conducted at two urban, hospital-based clinics. The study participants were children with SCD ages 5 to 18 years who presented for a routine visit to the comprehensive SCD clinic. The main outcome was HRQL, as measured by the CHQ-Parent Form 28 (PF28). A t test was used to compare HRQL between those with mild and severe disease.


RESULTS
Parents/caretakers of 95 children completed the CHQ-PF28. Children with mild SCD had a significantly better HRQL, as evidenced by a higher mean physical summary score (39.1), than those with severe disease (28.0) (difference=11.1, 95% confidence interval 5.03-18.11). There was no significant difference in psychosocial summary scores between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The CHQ is a valid tool to assess HRQL in children with SCD and could serve as an important adjunct to determine the effect of SCD on the lives of children.
Panepinto
Julie A
JA
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant, Medical College of Wisconsin and Children's Research Institute of the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA. jpanepin@mcw.edu
O'Mahar
Kerry M
KM
DeBaun
Michael R
MR
Rennie
Kimberly M
KM
Scott
J Paul
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires