As a speech-language pathologist, making data-driven decisions is crucial for ensuring the best outcomes for children. One important aspect that can significantly impact your practice is understanding and implementing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures. A recent pilot study titled Measuring health-related quality of life measures in children: lessons from a pilot study provides valuable insights into this area.
The study, conducted by Abraham, Edginton, Cottrell, and Tubeuf (2022), explores the feasibility of children aged 5-11 years self-completing HRQoL questionnaires. This research is particularly relevant for practitioners working with young children who have conduct disorders. The study utilized the youth version of the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire, which was completed by both the child and a parent proxy at baseline and a 4-month follow-up.
Key Findings
- Approximately 65.5% of children were able to complete the EQ-5D-Y at baseline, but this dropped to 34.4% at follow-up.
- There was moderate to strong correlation between child and parent responses, particularly in the dimensions of mobility, pain/discomfort, and looking after oneself.
- Parents tended to report more problems in areas such as 'doing usual activities' and 'feeling worried, sad or unhappy' compared to the children’s self-reports.
Implications for Practice
The findings suggest that while parent proxies can provide valuable information, children’s self-reports offer unique insights that are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of their HRQoL. Here are some actionable steps you can take based on this research:
- Encourage Self-Reporting: Whenever feasible, encourage children to self-complete HRQoL questionnaires. This provides a more accurate representation of their subjective well-being.
- Use a Multi-Informant Approach: Combine both child self-reports and parent proxy reports to gain a holistic view of the child’s health status.
- Training and Support: Provide training for researchers and practitioners on how to assist children in completing these questionnaires to ensure accuracy and reliability.
Future Research
This pilot study opens the door for further research in this area. Larger-scale studies could provide more definitive data and help refine the methods for assessing HRQoL in children. Such research could also explore the impact of different health conditions on the discrepancies between child and parent reports.
For practitioners, staying updated with the latest research and incorporating these findings into your practice can lead to better outcomes for the children you serve. By understanding the nuances of HRQoL assessments, you can tailor your interventions more effectively.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Measuring health-related quality of life measures in children: lessons from a pilot study.
