ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN PEDIATRI CS - A QUESTIONNAIRE TO ASSESS THE CHILDS OWN OPINION

There are very Sew available child quality of life questionnaires. We describe here a French questionnaire (AUQUEI) which consists of a stru ctured format scale (26 items). The first part of the questionnaire st udies child satisfaction. Response levels are measured by checking fac es expressing different emotional states. The validation is satisfacto ry, and the questionnaire is able to differentiate healthy children fr om sick children (HIV positive). A second part of the questionnaire fo cuses on the child's own quality of life, and is based upon open-ended questions. This second approach allows to broaden the structured form at scale and improves the understanding of the child's quality of life . It constitutes a necessary complement to the first part as it avoids using mechanically adult-specific concepts for children. We also foun d it to be sensitive enough to distinguish sick children from healthy ones. The AUQUEI questionnaire with its two complementary parts appear s to be a potentially valuable tool to better understand the experienc e of sick children, in the various aspects of their their life, and to follow their evolution.