A person-centred analysis of the time-use, daily activities and health-related quality of life of Irish school-going late adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
The health, well-being and quality of life of the world's 1.2 billion adolescents are global priorities. A focus on their patterns or profiles of time-use and how these relate to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) may help to enhance their well-being and address the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases in adulthood. This study sought to establish whether distinct profiles of adolescent 24-h time-use exist and to examine the relationship of any identified profiles to self-reported HRQoL.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study gathered data from a random sample of 731 adolescents (response rate 52%) from 28 schools (response rate 76%) across Cork city and county. A person-centred approach, latent profile analysis, was used to examine adolescent 24-h time-use and relate the identified profiles to HRQoL.


RESULTS
Three male profiles emerged, namely productive, high leisure and all-rounder. Two female profiles, higher study/lower leisure and moderate study/higher leisure, were identified. The quantitative and qualitative differences in male and female profiles support the gendered nature of adolescent time-use. No unifying trends emerged in the analysis of probable responses in the HRQoL domains across profiles. Females in the moderate study/higher leisure group were twice as likely to have above-average global HRQoL.


CONCLUSIONS
Distinct time-use profiles can be identified amongst adolescents, but their relationship with HRQoL is complex. Rich mixed-method research is required to illuminate our understanding of how quantities and qualities of time-use shape lifestyle patterns and how these can enhance the HRQoL of adolescents in the twenty-first century.
Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University College Cork, Room G24, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, College Road, Cork, Ireland, e.hunt@ucc.ie.
Eithne
E
Hunt
Elizabeth A
EA
McKay
Darren L
DL
Dahly
Anthony P
AP
Fitzgerald
Ivan J
IJ
Perry
D000293:Adolescent; D000067697:Adolescent Health; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012574:Schools; D057566:Self Report; D017748:Time Management