title: Health-related quality of life in children and youth with acquired brain injury: Two years after injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and youth with acquired brain injury (ABI) two years post-injury and explore associated factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children and youth (n = 72; aged 6-22 years) with mild to severe ABI (87% mild).
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome measures self-reported and parent-reported HRQoL were assessed with the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and compared with age-appropriate reference values of the Dutch population. Spearman correlation coefficients (Rs) were used to explore relationships between HRQoL and sociodemographic and ABI characteristics, severity of impairments and presence of post-injury problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children and youth with ABI and the reference population had similar self-reported HRQoL. However, as reported by parents, children with ABI aged 6-7 years and youth aged 13-18 years had poorer HRQoL regarding psychosocial health. Children's post-injury cognitive, behavioural and social problems were moderately associated with poorer HRQoL, especially psychosocial health (Rs ≥ 0.40). Severity nor type of injury were associated with children's HRQoL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two years post-injury, in children and youth with mild to severe ABI, reported HRQoL is similar to that in the general population, whereas parents reported less favourable outcomes. Post-injury cognitive, behavioural and social problems require ongoing attention during long-term follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Rijndam Rehabilitation Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: eilmer@rijndam.nl.
authors.forename: Esther C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ilmer
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Revant Rehabilitation Centre, Breda, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Suzanne A M
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lambregts
authors.affiliation: The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Hague, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Monique A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Hague, The Netherlands; Sophia Rehabilitation, The Hague, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arend J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Kloet
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sander R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hilberink
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Rijndam Rehabilitation Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marij E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Roebroeck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Brain injury; Children; Long-term outcome; Quality of life; Young adults; Youth