Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Childhood chronic physical condition, self-reported health, and life satisfaction in adolescence

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study investigates the prevalence and type of chronic conditions at 7 years of age—with special reference to atopic conditions—and their longitudinal associations with self-reported health and life satisfaction in adolescence. The data were obtained from Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (NFBC 1986), which is a longitudinal 1-year birth cohort from an unselected, regionally defined population (n = 9,432). The present study investigated a sample of 8,036 children with data of chronic conditions at 7 years of age and a sample of 6,680 children with data of chronic conditions at 16 years of age. According to parents’ report the prevalence of CC at 7 years of age was 14.8 % among boys and 13.2 % among girls, these figures being at 16 years of age 20.7 and 19.4 %, respectively. Atopic conditions were the most common chronic conditions at 7 years of age (12.7 % vs. other chronic conditions 4.7 %). Childhood chronic condition was associated with subsequent self-reported health in adolescence, but not with subsequent self-reported life satisfaction. Chronic condition at 7 years of age increased the risk of reporting health as “poor” even if the chronic condition was no longer prevalent at 16 years of age. Atopic conditions seemed to be linked with self-reported poor/moderate health more often than other chronic conditions among girls. Conclusion Childhood chronic conditions seem to affect adolescent’s subjective health, but fortunately, they do not affect adolescents’ subjective well-being to such an extent that it could lower their life satisfaction.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

A16:

Adolescence

C7:

7 Years old

CC:

Chronic condition

CCs:

Chronic conditions

CI:

Confidence interval

CP:

Cerebral palsy

LS:

Life satisfaction

OR:

Odds ratio

QOL:

Quality of life

SRH:

Self-reported health

T1D:

Type 1 diabetes

YSR:

Youth Self-Report

References

  1. Amine B, Rostom S, Benbouazza K, Abouqal R, Hajjaj-Hassouni N (2009) Health related quality of life survey about children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Rheumatol Int 29:275–279

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Beattie PE, Lewis-Jones MS (2006) A comparative study of impairment of quality of life in children with skin disease and children with other chronic childhood diseases. Br J Dermatol 155:145–151

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Berntsson LT, Kohler L (2001) Long-term illness and psychosomatic complaints in children aged 2–17 years in the five Nordic countries. Comparison between 1984 and 1996. Eur J Public Health 11:35–42

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bousquet J, Neukirch F, Bousquet PJ, Gehano P, Klossek JM, Le Gal M, Allaf B (2006) Severity and impairment of allergic rhinitis in patients consulting in primary care. J Allergy Clin Immunol 117:158–162

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Cohen MM, Daniela L, Haya L, Avraham L (2007) Quality of life, depressed mood, and self-esteem in adolescents with heart disease. Psychosom Med 69:313–318

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Cohen P, Pine DS, Must A, Kasen S, Brook J (1998) Prospective associations between somatic illness and mental illness from childhood to adulthood. Am J Epidemiol 147:232–239

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Delaney L, Smith JP (2012) Childhood health: trends and consequences over the life course. Future Child 22:43–63

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Frijters P, Haisken-DeNew JP, Shields MA (2005) The causal effect of income on health: evidence from German reunification. J Health Econ 24:997–1017

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Glazebrook C, McPherson AC, Macdonald IA, Swift JA, Ramsay C, Newbould R, Smyth A (2006) Asthma as a barrier to children's physical activity: implications for body mass index and mental health. Pediatrics 118:2443–2449

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Goldbeck L, Koffmane K, Lecheler J, Thiessen K, Fegert JM (2007) Disease severity, mental health, and quality of life of children and adolescents with asthma. Pediatr Pulmonol 42:15–22

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Goodman SH, Hoven CW, Narrow WE, Cohen P, Fielding B, Alegria M, Leaf PJ, Kandel D, Horwitz SM, Bravo M, Moore R, Dulcan MK (1998) Measurement of risk for mental disorders and competence in a psychiatric epidemiologic community survey: the National Institute of Mental Health Methods for the Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders (MECA) Study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 33:162–173

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Gustafsson D, Olofsson N, Andersson F, Lindberg B, Schollin J (2002) Effect of asthma in childhood on psycho-social problems in the family. J Psychosom Res 53:1071–1075

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Janssen CG, Voorman JM, Becher JG, Dallmeijer AJ, Schuengel C (2010) Course of health-related quality of life in 9–16-year-old children with cerebral palsy: associations with gross motor abilities and mental health. Disabil Rehabil 32:344–351

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Jarvelin MR, Hartikainen-Sorri AL, Rantakallio P (1993) Labour induction policy in hospitals of different levels of specialisation. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 100:310–315

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Judson L (2004) Global childhood chronic illness. Nurs Adm Q 28:60–66

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Kalyva E, Malakonaki E, Eiser C, Mamoulakis D (2011) Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM): self and parental perceptions. Pediatr Diabetes 12:34–40

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Koivumaa-Honkanen H, Kaprio J, Honkanen R, Viinamaki H, Koskenvuo M (2004) Life satisfaction and depression in a 15-year follow-up of healthy adults. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 39:994–999

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Koivumaa-Honkanen H, Honkanen R, Viinamaki H, Heikkila K, Kaprio J, Koskenvuo M (2001) Life satisfaction and suicide: a 20-year follow-up study. Am J Psychiatry 158:433–139

    Google Scholar 

  19. Koivumaa-Honkanen H, Honkanen R, Viinamaki H, Heikkila K, Kaprio J, Koskenvuo M (2000) Self-reported life satisfaction and 20-year mortality in healthy Finnish adults. Am J Epidemiol 152:983–991

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lewis-Jones S (2006) Quality of life and childhood atopic dermatitis: the misery of living with childhood eczema. Int J Clin Pract 60:984–992

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Maas-van Schaaijk NM, Odink RJ, Ultee K, van Baar AL (2011) Can one question be a useful indicator of psychosocial problems in adolescents with diabetes mellitus? Acta Paediatr 100:708–711

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. McDowelll I (2010) Measures of self-perceived well-being. J Psychosom Res 69:69–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Merikangas KR, Nakamura EF, Kessler RC (2009) Epidemiology of mental disorders in children and adolescents. Dialogues Clin Neurosci 11:7–20

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Miauton L, Narring F, Michaud PA (2003) Chronic illness, life style and emotional health in adolescence: results of a cross-sectional survey on the health of 15–20-year-olds in Switzerland. Eur J Pediatr 162:682–689

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Michel G, Bisegger C, Fuhr DC, Abel T, KIDSCREEN Group (2009) Age and gender differences in health-related quality of life of children and adolescents in Europe: a multilevel analysis. Quality of Life Research 18:1147–1157

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Mossey JM, Shapiro E (1982) Self-rated health: a predictor of mortality among the elderly. Am J Public Health 72:800–808

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. O'Connell EJ (2004) The burden of atopy and asthma in children. Allergy 59:7–11

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Plioplys S, Dunn DW, Caplan R (2007) 10-year research update review: psychiatric problems in children with epilepsy. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 46:1389–1402

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Proctor CL, Linley PA, Maltby J (2009) Youth life satisfaction: a review of the literature. Journal of Happiness Studies 10:583–630

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Rutz W (2006) Social psychiatry and public mental health: present situation and future objectives. Time for rethinking and renaissance? Acta Psychiatr Scand Supplementum 113(429):95–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Speechley KN, Barrera M, Shaw AK, Morrison HI, Maunsell E (2006) Health-related quality of life among child and adolescent survivors of childhood cancer. J Clin Oncol 24:2536–2543

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Vaillant GE (2003) Mental health. Am J Psychiatry 160:1373–1384

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. van der Lee JH, Mokkink LB, Grootenhuis MA, Heymans HS, Offringa M (2007) Definitions and measurement of chronic health conditions in childhood: a systematic review. JAMA 297:2741–2751

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Viner R, Booy R (2005) Epidemiology of health and illness. BMJ 330:411–414

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Whittemore R, Jaser S, Guo J, Grey M (2010) A conceptual model of childhood adaptation to type 1 diabetes. Nurs Outlook 58:242–251

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. WHO (1948) Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19–22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948

  37. WHO (1995) The World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL): position paper from the World Health Organization (1995). Soc Sci Med 41:1403–1409

  38. WHO (2010) Mental health: strengthening our response. Fact Sheet No. 220

  39. Young NL, Rochon TG, McCormick A, Law M, Wedge JH, Fehlings D (2010) The health and quality of life outcomes among youth and young adults with cerebral palsy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 91:143–148

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, Oulu, 90014, Finland

    Heidi Määttä, Tuula Hurtig & Anja Taanila

  2. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Child Psychiatry, University and University Hospital of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Tuula Hurtig & Hanna Ebeling

  3. Primary Health Care Unit, University Hospital of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Anja Taanila

  4. Department of Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

    Meri Honkanen

  5. Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

  6. Department of Psychiatry, Lapland Hospital District, Oulu, Finland

    Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

  7. Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

    Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

  8. Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

    Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

  9. Department of Psychiatry, South-Savonia Hospital District, Mikkeli, Finland

    Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

  10. Department of Psychiatry, North Karelia Central Hospital, Joensuu, Finland

    Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

  11. Department of Psychiatry, SOSTERI, Savonlinna, Finland

    Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

  12. Department of Psychiatry, SOTE, Iisalmi, Finland

    Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

Authors
  1. Heidi Määttä
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tuula Hurtig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anja Taanila
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Meri Honkanen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hanna Ebeling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heidi Määttä.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Määttä, H., Hurtig, T., Taanila, A. et al. Childhood chronic physical condition, self-reported health, and life satisfaction in adolescence. Eur J Pediatr 172, 1197–1206 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-013-2015-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-013-2015-6

Keywords