Abstract
BackgroundRelative to their application with adults there is currently little information about the application of preference-based health-related quality of life (HRQL) instruments among populations of young people. The Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) is a paediatric-specific generic preference-based HRQL instrument, recently translated and linguistically validated into Danish (CHU9D-DK). The purpose of this study was to investigate the construct validity of the CHU9D-DK in a sample of Danish high school students.MethodsAll students attending a Danish High School were invited to participate in a web-based survey in January 2018 (N = 272). The survey included the CHU9D-DK, the young adult version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL), self-reported health status, presence/absence of disability/chronic diseases, life satisfaction, and socio-economic questions. CHU9D-DK utility scores were generated by employing the two scoring algorithms developed from adults in the UK and adolescents in Australia, respectively. Internal consistency, reliability and construct validity of the CHU9D-DK instrument were investigated.ResultsTwo hundred and twenty-eight (84%) students consented to participate and completed the survey. The mean ± (standard deviation) values of the CHU9D-DK utilities were 0.84 (0.11) when the UK adult algorithm was applied and 0.70 (0.22), when the Australian adolescent algorithm was applied. The mean PedsQL score was 82.32 (13.14). The CHU9D-DK showed good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.803). Higher levels of health status and life satisfaction were significantly associated with higher CHU9D-DK utility scores regardless of which scoring algorithm was applied (p-values < 0.001). Students living with a disability/chronic disease exhibited significantly lower utility scores relative to their healthy peers (p-values < 0.05). Higher socio-economic status (approximated by financial situation and frequency of family vacations) was also associated with higher utility scores (p-values < 0.005).ConclusionThe CHU9D-DK demonstrated good psychometric performance overall and shows potential as a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the HRQL of Danish young people.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03391999, Registered 15 October 2017.
Highlights
Relative to their application with adults there is currently little information about the application of preference-based health-related quality of life (HRQL) instruments among populations of young people
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in Denmark and Scandinavia to assess the construct validity of the Danish Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D)-DK instrument
The results of this study indicate that the CHU9D-DK exhibits good construct validity in relation to assessment of the HRQL of high school students in Denmark
Summary
Relative to their application with adults there is currently little information about the application of preference-based health-related quality of life (HRQL) instruments among populations of young people. The adolescent phase is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that occurs during the period from puberty to legal adulthood (age of majority), which in Denmark is 18 years. Adolescence and young adulthood is a period of multiple transitions involving education, training, and first employment, as well as changes from one living circumstance to another [2, 3]. This phase of life is critical for the individual’s future lifestyle and behaviour and may play an important role in the development and persistence of lifestyle diseases [4, 5]. In contrast to adult populations, there is sparse information available about younger age groups’ health-related quality of life (HRQL) in Denmark, in particular in relation to individuals’ subjective assessment of their own HRQL through the use of validated instruments
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
