Quality of life related to health in institutionalized adolescents

Abstract

Background: Institutionalized adolescents are "people in development" in a specific context. Host institution can be constituted as close and organized social support, playing fundamental role in health and quality of life. Objective: Analyze relationship between personal variables (age, sex, body mass index-BMI), institutional residence time (IRT) and Health-related quality of life (HRQL). Methodology: Descriptive-correlational study; Sample 385 adolescents. Instruments: Kidscreen-52 (Portuguese version, Gaspar & Matos 2008, ten dimensions); Sociodemographic and health questionnaire. Fulfilled ethical assumptions. Data Handled in IBM-SPSS, Version 22. Results: Ages between 10 and 19 years (M=14.77, SD=2.034). Girls 64.1%; Boys 35.9%. IRT between 1 and 229 months (M=38.89, SD=36.07). BMI, M=21.773, SD=3.74. Positive and significant correlation between Age and Mood (r=0.11, p=.04), between IRT and Autonomy-free times (r=0.12; p=.02). Negative and significant correlation between Age and: Health-Physical Activity (r=-0.19; p=.00); Feelings (r=-0.13; p=.01); Family (r=-0.17; p=.00); Economic Issues (r=-0.11; p=.03). Negative and significant correlation between BMI and: Health-Physical Activity (r=-0.31; p=.00); Feelings (r=-0.16; p=.00); Autonomy-Free Times (r=-0.15; p=.00); Family (r=-0.13; p=.01); Economic Issues (r=-0.10; p=.04); Friends (r=-0.12; p=.02). Significant mean differences between boys and girls in eight HRQL dimensions (Student t, p <.05). Self-perception and provocation, n.s.. Discussion: Higher HRQL in younger adolescents. BMI near the standard upper limit, and higher in girls. Adolescents with more IRT show more Autonomy-Free Times. Boys show worse result in Mood. It is advantageous to deepen health studies in this population.