Authors' objectives:

The aim of this review was to identify generic and specific health-related quality-of-life tools (HRQol) in paediatric age, published in the literature internationally, to describe its contents and to assess their psychometric properties and to review -applying the same criteria- the questionnaires available for use in Spain, as well as the process of transcultural adaptation.

Authors' results and conclusions: Twenty eight generic and 47 specific HRQoL tools were found and analysed (32 more tools than the latest review in 2001). To be used in Spain, 8 generic and 9 specific tools were found (10 more questionnaires than in the latest review in 2001). There is a large variability in the number and characteristics of the tools and their dimensions, although most were developed from the psychometric model, and they are multi-dimensional. The contents of the questionnaire differ in the HRQoL they consider to be most prioritary. Most have acceptable reliability results when analysing their internal consistency, but the number of questionnaires with acceptable results is lower after the test-retest. Almost all questionnaires have assessed the validity of the construct. Few questionnaires have analysed the sensitivity to change. The adaptation processes followed, in general, the international methodological recommendations.

Authors' recommendations: There is a wide and varied availability of unspecific, generic tools for different diseases, self-administered or for indirect reporters, all of them with multidimensional conceptualisation and measurement of the HRQoL for the paediatric population. This heterogeneity in the contents, while it increases and enhances the range of tools to use, poses a methodological challenge, since it makes it more difficult to comprehend the concept of HRQoL. The annual increase in the number of questionnaires published leads to the need to carry out periodic systematic reviews of the literature.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.gencat.net/salut/depsan/units/aatrm/html/en/dir393/doc7921.ht ml

Year Published: 2006

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Spain

Organisation Name: Agencia de Qualitat i Avaluacio Sanitries de Catalunya

Contact Address: Antoni Parada, CAHTA, Roc Boronat, 81-95 (2nd floor), 08005 Barcelona, Spain, Tel. +34 935 513 928, Fax: +34 935 517 510

Contact Name: direccio@aatrm.catsalut.net / aparada@aatrm.catsalut.net

Contact Email: direccio@aatrm.catsalut.net / aparada@aatrm.catsalut.net

Copyright: Catalan Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Research (CAHTA)