The Latvian version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ)

We report herein the results of the cross-cultural adaptation and validatio n into the Latvian language of the parent's version of two health related q uality of life instruments. The Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire ( CHAQ) is a disease specific health instrument that measures functional abil ity, in daily living activities in children with juvenile idiopathic arthri tis (,HA),, The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) is a generic health instru ment designed to capture the physical and psychosocial well-being of childr en independently from the underlying disease. The Latvian CHAQ CHQ were ful ly validated with I forward and I backward translations. A total of 141 sub jects were enrolled: 80 patients with JIA (16% systemic onset, 32.5% polyar ticular onset, 19% extended oligoarticular subtype, and 32.5% persistent ol igoarticular subtype) and 61 healthy children. The CHAQ clinically discrimi nated between healthy subjects and JIA patients, with the systemic, polyart icular and extended oligoarticular subtypes having a higher degree of disab ility, pain, and a lower overall well-being when compared to their health), peers. Also the CHQ clinically discriminated between health), subjects and JIA patients, with the systemic onset, polyarticular onset and extended ol igoarticular subtypes having a lower physical and psychosocial well-being w hen compared to their healthy, peers. In conclusion the Latvian version of the CHAQ-CHQ is a reliable, and valid tool for the functional, physical and psychosocial assessment of children w ith JIA.