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. 2008 Dec:17 Suppl 1:148-56.
doi: 10.1007/s00787-008-1016-x.

Health-related quality of life in children and adolescents in Germany: results of the BELLA study

Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer  1 , Michael Erhart, Nora Wille, Monika Bullinger; BELLA study group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Health-related quality of life in children and adolescents in Germany: results of the BELLA study

Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer et al. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2008 Dec.

Abstract

Background: The self-perceived health or health-related quality of life of children and adolescents is increasingly recognised as a relevant outcome in medical practice and public health research. Identifying children and adolescents with particularly low health-related quality of life allows for an early detection of hidden morbidity and health care needs.

Objectives: The present study investigates health-related quality of life in children and adolescents in Germany.

Methods: In the Mental Health Module (BELLA study) of the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS), the parents of 2,863 children and adolescents aged 7-17 years, and 1,700 children and adolescents aged 11-17 years completed the KINDL-R quality of life questionnaire.

Results: The reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.86) and validity of the measurements using the parent-reported KINDL-R were confirmed. Means and percentiles were calculated for the total sample as well as for strata defined by age, sex, geographical region (east/west), migration status and socioeconomic status. Expected differences in health-related quality of life of children and adolescents from different social backgrounds and with different health statuses were demonstrated by differences in the KINDL-R scores (effect size d up to 1.29).

Conclusion: This study provides representative, normative data (self-report and parent-report) on the test scores of health-related quality of life (KINDL-R) for the population of children and adolescents in Germany in general, as well as in sociodemographic and socioeconomic subpopulations.

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