Evaluating Quality of Life in Children with Fever in Emergency Departments
Author Information
Author(s): Rakesh D Mistry, Molly W Stevens, Marc H Gorelick
Primary Institution: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Hypothesis
The study aims to assess the validity and responsiveness of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 for febrile illnesses in pediatric emergency departments.
Conclusion
The PedsQL™ is a valid and responsive measure of health-related quality of life for short-term febrile illnesses in the emergency department.
Supporting Evidence
- The mean total HRQOL score improved from 76.4 at ED presentation to 86.3 at follow-up.
- Statistically significant differences in HRQOL were noted for those with prolonged fever and functional impairment.
- A significant correlation was observed between HRQOL at follow-up and days of daycare/school missed.
Takeaway
This study looked at how sick kids feel when they have a fever and found a way to measure their quality of life using a special questionnaire.
Methodology
A prospective cohort study of children aged 2-18 years discharged after ED evaluation for fever, using parent-reported health-related quality of life assessments.
Potential Biases
Potential observer and recall bias due to reliance on parental self-report for health assessments.
Limitations
The study had a 39% loss to follow-up, which may introduce selection bias, and missing item responses were more likely in the school functioning scale.
Participant Demographics
{"age_mean":"58.7 months","male_percentage":56,"race_ethnicity":{"white":47.4,"black":33.0,"hispanic":18.6,"other":1.0}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = .003
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 5.6–14.6
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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