Purpose: To check if the expected association is observed between children and adolescents' self-perceived health-related quality of life (HRQL) and the use of health care services.
Methods: The data come from the pilot test of a European measure of HRQL for children and adolescents (KIDSCREEN). Children answered the KIDSCREEN 52-item pilot version. Visits to a health professional in the past four weeks and hospitalisation in the past 12 months were collected from parents. A logistic regression model was adjusted to analyse the relationship between the use of health services and HRQL.
Results: A total of 2526 children and their parents were included in the analysis. Factors associated to visits in the past four weeks were poor physical well-being (odds ratio [OR] 1.83; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42-2.35), and poor school environment (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.02-1.71). Low scores on moods and emotions was the associated factor to hospitalization in the past 12 months (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.29-3.81).
Conclusions: Children and adolescents are a feasible source for their self-assessment of HRQL. They should be taken into account in health care needs studies.