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Health and Quality of Life Outcomes
Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research

Health-related quality of life of the rural-China left-behind children or adolescents and influential factors: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Yun Huang, Xiao-Ni Zhong, Qing-Ying Li, Dan Xu, Xuan-Lin Zhang, Chao Feng, Guo-Xiu Yang, Yun-Yun Bo, Bing Deng

Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Due to sustained export of labor service, the left-behind children/ adolescents in rural areas of China have become a group that can no longer be neglected. However, even up to this day, little is known about the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the left-behind children/adolescents, particularly in Midwest China. This study aims at investigating their living condition and analyzing the influential factors of their HRQoL.

Methods

A cross-sectional study based on households was conducted and 1363 children or adolescents from rural areas of 6 provinces in China, among whom 608 were left-behind and 755 were non-left-behind, were enrolled in a multistage sampling. HRQoL was revealed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Differences in scores were analyzed using rank sum tests, and multivariate analyses were conducted with multiple linear regression.

Results

There was a total of 608 (44.61%) left-behind children or adolescents, and they scored significantly lower in terms of the HRQoL synthesis scores (F = 6.14, P < 0.05), Physical Functioning (H = 33.18, P < 0.05), Emotional Functioning (H = 24.99, P < 0.05) and Social Functioning (H = 12.24, P < 0.05), compared with the non-left-behind. Multiple linear regressions indicated that age and mother’s final academic qualification were in positive correlation with the HRQoL of the left-behind children, while mother’s longer migrant working time and less frequent visits, and being reared by uncle/aunt etc., were potential risk factors for the left-behind children.

Conclusions

The HRQoL scores of left-behind children or adolescents were significantly lower than those of their counterparts both in the physical and the psychological domains. Influential factors should be considered when relevant policies are being made and intervening practices are being undertaken in the future, so as to improve the HRQoL of the left-behind children or adolescents.
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Metadata
Title
Health-related quality of life of the rural-China left-behind children or adolescents and influential factors: a cross-sectional study
Authors
Yun Huang
Xiao-Ni Zhong
Qing-Ying Li
Dan Xu
Xuan-Lin Zhang
Chao Feng
Guo-Xiu Yang
Yun-Yun Bo
Bing Deng
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7525
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-015-0220-x

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