title: Self-perceived health-related quality of life of Indian children with specific learning disability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Specific learning disability (SpLD) often remains undetected, resulting in the afflicted child experiencing chronic poor school performance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure and analyze the self-perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with newly-diagnosed SpLD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study in our clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  From February to December 2008, 150 children consecutively diagnosed as having SpLD were enrolled and their HRQoL documented using the DISABKIDS chronic generic module self-report version instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiple regression analysis was carried out for determining the 'independent' impact that each of the clinical and socio-demographic variables had on a poor facet score outcome and on a poor total score outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinically significant deficits were detected in all 6 facets, namely: 'large deficits (effect size ≥-0.8)' in "social exclusion", "emotion", "limitation", "treatment", and "independence"; and 'medium deficit (effect size -0.5 to <-0.8)' in "social inclusion"; and 'large deficit' in "total score". Multivariate analysis revealed that: (i) not belonging to the upper socio-economic strata of society was an independent predictor of a poor "independence" facet outcome (P=0.010, OR=1.99, 95% CI: 1.18 to 3.37); (ii) not having experienced class detainment was an independent predictor of a poor "emotion" facet outcome (P=0.008, OR=3.04, 95% CI: 1.34 to 6.85); (iii) first-born status was an independent predictor of a poor "limitation" facet outcome (P=0.022, OR=2.60, 95% CI: 1.15 to 5.90); and (iv) female gender was an independent predictor of a poor "social exclusion" facet outcome (P=0.024, OR=0.28, 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.85) and a poor "overall health" outcome (P=0.025, OR=0.32, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.87).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with newly-diagnosed SpLD perceive their psychosocial, physical, and overall HRQoL to be significantly compromised.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Learning Disability Clinic, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital, Sion, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karande
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Venkataraman
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires