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Determinants of Health Related Quality of Life in School-Going Adolescents in Northern India

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Abstract

Objective

To identify determinants of good Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in school going adolescents.

Methods

This Cross-sectional study was conducted in public and private schools in Lucknow, Northern India after obtaining institutional ethical clearance. Children aged 10 to 19 years were included after obtaining parental written informed consent. HRQoL was assessed using culturally appropriate WHOQOL-BREF version.

Results

From 1900 schools in Lucknow, 10 public and 10 private schools were selected. Within schools, random selection of the subjects was done. Dropout rate was 7.2% (525/566). Mean age of participants was 14.04 ± 2.09 years, of which 52.4% (275/525) were boys and 48.5% (255/525) were from private schools. Good HRQoL was a score ≥83, which corresponded to third quartile, and 33.7% and 16.6% of subjects, from private and public schools, respectively, fell in this category (p-value <0.0001). Determinants of good HRQoL on multivariate analysis were age <14 years (OR: 2.11, 95%CI 1.39–3.02, p < 0.0001) and studying in private school (OR = 2.04, 95%CI 1.18–3.51, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Younger adolescent age and enrolment in private schools are determinants of good HRQoL in school-going adolescents. Further research is needed to identify measures to improve HRQoL among older adolescents and those studying in public schools.

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Contributions

KA, SA; contributed to study design, data analysis, interpretation and manuscript writing. SA; conceptualized the study. KA; contributed to data collection. HC, US and ST ; contributed to interpretation. US also contributed to statistical analysis.

Conflict of Interest

None.

Role of Funding Source

KA currently employed as Senior Research Fellow (Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, INDIA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (Erstwhile King George’s Medical University), Shahmina Road, Lucknow, (UP), 226003, India

    Shally Awasthi, Kasturi Agnihotri & Savitri Thakur

  2. Department of Biostatistics, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, (UP), India

    Uttam Singh

  3. Department of Hospital Administration, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, (UP), India

    Hem Chandra

Authors
  1. Shally Awasthi
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  2. Kasturi Agnihotri
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  3. Uttam Singh
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  4. Savitri Thakur
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  5. Hem Chandra
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shally Awasthi.

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Awasthi, S., Agnihotri, K., Singh, U. et al. Determinants of Health Related Quality of Life in School-Going Adolescents in Northern India. Indian J Pediatr 78, 555–561 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-010-0305-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-010-0305-9

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