LATER HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN ADULTS WHO HAVE SUSTAINED SPINAL-CORD INJURY IN CHILDHOOD

The outcome in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQL) in pedia tric spinal cord injury (SCI) was studied in 36 adults who had sustain ed an SCI in childhood. The patients were interviewed and clinically e xamined. HRQL was assessed with the 15D, a generic fifteen-dimensional self-administered HRQL instrument. The 15 multiple-level dimensions a re moving, seeing, hearing, breathing, sleeping, eating, communicating , urinary continence, working, social participation, mental functionin g, pain, depression, distress and perceived health. The respondents ch oose, for each dimension, the level that best describe their health st atus. In the 15D valuation system the respondents first assign a relat ive importance weight to each dimension and then a relative value to t he levels on each dimension. To derive the 15D HRQL score on a 0-1 sca le the level values and importance weights are multiplied and combined with the levels chosen. The average HRQL score of this SCI group was significantly lower than that measured in the population sample. The a verage importance weights assigned by the SCI group differed significa ntly (P<0.05) from those assigned by the general population on several dimensions. The weights assigned by the SCI group were higher for the dimensions of mental functioning, communicating, social participation and seeing and lower for moving, working, sleeping and eating. These differences in valuing the dimensions of HRQL can influence behaviour and should therefore be taken into consideration in rehabilitation.