Befus Eva-Grethe, Mølland Eirin, Helseth Sølvi, Westergren Thomas, Abildsnes Eirik, Hagen Milada, Nolte Sandra, Haraldstad Kristin
Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, P.O. Box 422, 4604, Kristiansand, Norway.
Pediatric Unit, Sørlandet Hospital Kristiansand, Lundsiden, P.O. Box 416, 4604, Kristiansand S, Norway.
Qual Life Res. 2025 Feb;34(2):549-561. doi: 10.1007/s11136-024-03834-6. Epub 2024 Nov 20.
Assessing socioeconomic status (SES), mental health, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in young children is crucial for making informed health care decisions and identifying areas of intervention. The present study aimed to investigate potential associations between SES, mental health, and HRQoL in 5-7-year-old children.
The present study included mother-reported health assessments for 621 children aged 5-7 years in Grade 1 collected between 2019 and 2023 as part of the Starting Right™ project. Online questionnaires were used to support public health nurses in assessing children's health status. HRQoL (KIDSCREEN-27, 5 subscales) and mental health [Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), 4 subscales] were assessed. Sociodemographic characteristics, sex, maternal education, and income were obtained from Statistics Norway. The data were analyzed using multiple robust regression.
Mother-reported mean scores for the KIDSCREEN-27 were within the normal range compared with European norms (8-11 years). However, for each KIDSCREEN-27 dimension, there were individuals whose mothers reported scores that were substantially lower than average. Having mental health problems, defined as being in the 80th and 90th percentiles of the SDQ Total problem score, was associated with 2.1-10.7-point lower KIDSCREEN-27 scores (p < 0.001-0.021), which was most noticeable in the KIDSCREEN-27 school environment subscale. Weak but significant positive associations were found between SES and HRQoL.
Our results provide important insights into the associations between SES, mental health, and HRQoL in young children. Given the strong association between mental health problems and HRQoL in Grade 1 children, the assessment of both is essential, so that early interventions, an improved caring environment, and nurturing support can be initiated.
评估幼儿的社会经济地位（SES）、心理健康和健康相关生活质量（HRQoL）对于做出明智的医疗保健决策和确定干预领域至关重要。本研究旨在调查5至7岁儿童的SES、心理健康和HRQoL之间的潜在关联。
本研究纳入了作为“正确起步™”项目一部分在2019年至2023年期间收集的621名1年级5至7岁儿童的母亲报告的健康评估数据。使用在线问卷来协助公共卫生护士评估儿童的健康状况。评估了HRQoL（儿童生活质量量表-27，5个分量表）和心理健康[长处与困难问卷（SDQ），4个分量表]。社会人口学特征、性别、母亲教育程度和收入数据来自挪威统计局。采用多重稳健回归分析数据。
与欧洲标准（8至11岁）相比，母亲报告的儿童生活质量量表-27的平均得分在正常范围内。然而，对于儿童生活质量量表-27的每个维度而言, 都有母亲报告得分明显低于平均水平的个体。被定义为处于SDQ总问题得分第80和第90百分位的心理健康问题与儿童生活质量量表-27得分低2.1至10.7分相关（p<0.001至0.021），这在儿童生活质量量表-27的学校环境分量表中最为明显。SES与HRQoL之间存在微弱但显著的正相关。
我们的研究结果为幼儿的SES、心理健康和HRQoL之间的关联提供了重要见解。鉴于一年级儿童的心理健康问题与HRQoL之间存在密切关联，对两者进行评估至关重要，以便能够启动早期干预、改善照护环境并提供养育支持。
