4.7 Article

Mental Health and Health-Related Quality of Life in Austrian Adolescents with Chronic Physical Health Conditions: Results from the MHAT Study

Journal

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
Volume 12, Issue 5, Pages -

Publisher

MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/jcm12051927

Keywords

mental health; quality of life; adolescents; epidemiology; chronic physical health conditions

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In a representative sample study in Austria, it was found that 9.4% of girls and 7.1% of boys aged 10-18 years suffered from chronic pediatric illnesses. Compared to adolescents without chronic illnesses, these patients had higher rates of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems, with anxiety, depression, and social problems being more prevalent. Medication intake due to chronic pediatric illnesses and traumatic life events were related to mental health problems. Targeted prevention programs for adolescents with chronic pediatric illnesses are urgently needed to prevent long-term mental health problems.
Chronic physical health conditions (CPHC) are on the rise in younger age groups and might have a negative impact on children and adolescents. In a representative sample of Austrian adolescents aged 10-18 years, internalizing, externalizing, and behavioral problems were assessed cross-sectionally using the Youth Self-Report and health-related quality of life (HrQoL) using the KIDSCREEN questionnaire. Sociodemographic variables, life events, and chronic illness specific parameters were considered as associated variables with mental health problems in individuals with CPHC. Of 3469 adolescents, 9.4% of girls and 7.1% of boys suffered from a chronic pediatric illness. Of these individuals, 31.7% and 11.9% had clinically relevant levels of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems, respectively, compared to 16.3% and 7.1% adolescents without a CPHC. Anxiety, depression, and social problems were twice as high in this population. Medication intake due to CPHC and any traumatic life-event were related to mental health problems. All HrQoL domains were deteriorated in adolescents with a double burden of mental and CPHC, whereas adolescents with a CPHC without mental health problems did not differ significantly from adolescents without a chronic illness. Targeted prevention programs for adolescents with a CPHC are urgently needed to prevent mental health problems in the long term.

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