title: Patient-Reported Health in Young People With Congenital Heart Disease Transitioning to Adulthood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because life expectancy of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) has increased substantially, assessment of patient-reported health is seen as an important component in the follow-up. Therefore, we (1) examined patient-reported health status of young people with CHD from a longitudinal perspective; (2) compared patient-reported health of patients with that of controls from the general population; and (3) investigated longitudinal interrelationships among various domains of patient-reported health.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 429 patients with CHD (aged 14-18 years) in a longitudinal study with four measurement points. Patient-reported health status was measured using a linear analog scale for self-rated health and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Self-rated health was good, with mean scores that slightly decreased from 81.78 to 78.90 from Time 1 to Time 4. PedsQL scores were also good, with the highest scores obtained for physical functioning. Patients with mild heart defects consistently reported higher scores on self-rated health and PedsQL than the general population. The scores of patients with complex heart defects were generally lower than those of the general population. Cross-lagged path analyses demonstrated that symptoms, cognitive functioning, and communication problems constituted the most consistent predictors of perceived health domains over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient-reported health was considerably good. Domains of patient-reported health that deserve specific attention are symptoms, cognitive functioning, and communication problems. Intervening in these three domains may yield indirect benefits on other health status domains and may improve the overall perceived health status of young people with CHD.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ewa-Lena
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Bratt
authors.affiliation: School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luyckx
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goossens
authors.affiliation: Division of Structural and Congenital Cardiology, University Hospitals of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Budts
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; The Heart Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: philip.moons@kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moons
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D060305:Transition to Adult Care
keywords: Adolescents; Congenital; Health status; Heart defect; Longitudinal; Outcome