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Health-related quality of life in the aftermath of child maltreatment: follow-up study of a hospital sample

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Abstract

Objective

In the aftermath of child maltreatment or neglect, the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children is likely to be affected. However, research on quality of life in maltreated children is lacking. The aim of this study is to compare the HRQoL in a follow-up sample of children referred to an interdisciplinary hospital child protection team (CPT) to match controls and to explore correlates of HRQoL.

Method

Of the 319 in- and outpatient children referred to the CPT at the University Children’s Hospital Zurich between 2005 and 2006, an eligible sample of 180 children was contacted for a follow-up. HRQoL was assessed for 42 former patients using the self- and proxy-rated KIDSCREEN-27 for children above the age of 6 years and the TAPQOL parent report for children younger than 6 years. HRQoL-scores in the maltreatment group were compared with HRQoL in 39 matched controls.

Results

Self-reported HRQoL in maltreated children above the age of 6 years was significantly impaired compared to matched controls. The caregiver-rated HRQoL of maltreated children, however, was not affected. Low socioeconomic status and number of life events were associated with impaired self-reported HRQoL. Analyzed together with these factors, maltreatment lost its predictive power on HRQoL.

Conclusion

Maltreated children and adolescents suffer from impaired HRQoL even after the maltreatment has been disclosed and targeted by interventions. The impact of socioeconomic environment reinforces the importance of a multidisciplinary and systemic approach to maltreatment as applied by the CPT. Although the nature of discordance between child and caregiver report is not known, researchers and clinicians are strongly encouraged to assess the victim’s self-reported HRQoL independently of their proxies’ view.

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Abbreviations

CPT:

Child protection team at University Children’s Hospital Zurich

HRQoL:

Health-related quality of life

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the “Perspectives” foundation of Swiss Life, Zurich, and the Olga Mayenfisch Foundation, Zurich. Special thanks go to Martina Hug, Michael Inauen, Sabine Keller, Rabia Liamlahi, Georg Staubli and Daniel Suter for the participation in data collection.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032, Zürich, Switzerland

    Andreas Jud, Markus A. Landolt, Alexandra Tatalias & Ulrich Lips

  2. Centre for Research on Children and Families, McGill University, 3506 University Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 2A7, Canada

    Lucyna M. Lach

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  1. Andreas Jud
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  2. Markus A. Landolt
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Correspondence to Andreas Jud.

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Jud, A., Landolt, M.A., Tatalias, A. et al. Health-related quality of life in the aftermath of child maltreatment: follow-up study of a hospital sample. Qual Life Res 22, 1361–1369 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-012-0262-z

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