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. 2019 May;28(5):1271-1279.
doi: 10.1007/s11136-019-02099-8. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Quality of life in children and adolescents in Central Kenya: associations with emotional and behavioral problems

Dorcas N Magai  1 , Hans M Koot  2
Affiliations

Quality of life in children and adolescents in Central Kenya: associations with emotional and behavioral problems

Dorcas N Magai et al. Qual Life Res. 2019 May.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the quality of life (QoL) of children and adolescents in Kenya as rated by parents and youth themselves, and examine how QoL is related to emotional and behavioral problems (EBP).

Method: QoL and EBP reports were obtained from 1022 Kenyan parents and 533 adolescents living in the country's Central Province. Parents with children between 6 and 18 years completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and the Child Behavior Checklist, while the adolescents (12-18) completed the PedsQL and the Youth Self-Report.

Results: Parent-reported QoL in Kenyan youth was somewhat above that of US standardization samples, while levels of adolescent self-reports were well within the range of those from most high- and middle-income countries. Average adolescent girls' self-reports were lower on all QoL scales than boys. QoL in children/adolescents with clinical to borderline levels of EBP (cf. multicultural norms, Achenbach and Rescorla, 2007) was lower than QoL in agemates with normal levels of EBP. Regression analyses indicated unique associations of QoL with parent-reported withdrawn/depressed, somatic complaints, attention problems, and aggressive behavior, and with adolescent self-reported somatic complaints, attention problems, and rule-breaking behavior.

Conclusion: QoL levels were well within ranges of other countries. Moreover, associations of QoL with EBP indicated that those with borderline/clinical levels of EBP had a much lower QoL most notable for those with somatic complaints and attention problems. Mental health providers might focus on interventions that reduce EBP in Kenyan children and adolescents and simultaneously reduce the risk of lowered QoL.

Keywords: Adolescent; Child; Emotional and behavioral problems; Kenya; Quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

Dorcas N. Magai and Hans M. Koot declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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