Health-related quality of life and self-reported health status in adolescents with chronic health conditions before transfer of care to adult health care: an international cohort study

Abstract Background Heath-related quality of life (HRQoL) is lower in adolescents with chronic health conditions compared to healthy peers. While there is evidence of some differences according to the underlying condition and gender, differences by measure and country are poorly understood. In this study we focus on the differences in HRQoL in adolescents with various chronic medical conditions in the year before transfer of care to adult health services. We also study the associations of two different HRQoL measurements to each other and to self-reported health. Methods We recruited 538 adolescents from New Children`s Hospital, Helsinki, Finland, and the Royal Children`s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia in 2017–2020. We used two validated HRQoL measurement instruments, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and 16D, and a visual analog scale (VAS) for self-reported health status. Results In total, 512 adolescents (50.4% female, mean age 17.8 [SD 1.2] years), completed the survey measures. Higher HRQoL was reported in males than females in both countries (PedsQL 79.4 vs. 74.1; 16D 0.888 vs. 0.846), and in adolescents from Finland than Australia (80.6 vs. 72.2 and 0.905 vs. 0.825, p