title: Health status of extremely low-birth-weight children at 8 years of age: child and parent perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the self-reported health of extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW; <1 kg) preterm children with that of normal-birth-weight (NBW) control children and the children's perspective with that of their parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We administered questionnaires to the ELBW and NBW children and their parents from March 1, 2000, through February 2003.
  
  
  METHODS
  A children's hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred two ELBW children and 176 NBW children aged 8 years of similar sociodemographic status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Birth weight of less than 1 kg.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Child Health and Illness Profile-Child Edition child and parent reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was poor agreement between the parent and child ratings of health for the ELBW and NBW cohorts. The ELBW children rated their health as similar to that of NBW children. In contrast, parents of ELBW children reported significantly poorer health for their children than parents of NBW controls, including poorer satisfaction with health, comfort, and achievement and less risk avoidance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is poor agreement between child and parent reports of health. At 8 years of age, ELBW children rate their health as similar to that of NBW controls. Their parents, however, report significantly poorer health. Both perspectives need to be considered when making health care decisions.
authors.affiliation: Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals of Cleveland Case Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106-6010, USA. mxh7@case.edu
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hack
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Forrest
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schluchter
authors.forename: H Gerry
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drotar
authors.forename: Grayson
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holmbeck
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andreias
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001724:Birth Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D052577:Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D002666:Psychology, Child; D057566:Self Report