Health-Related Quality of Life in Non-Concussed Children: A Normative Study to Inform Concussion Management.

Purpose: There has been a shift to consider pediatric concussion recovery beyond symptom management by considering how health-related quality of life (HRQoL) affects recovery. This study investigated normative ranges of HRQoL in children and explored its relationship with common pediatric concussion variables.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 1,722 non-concussed children 8-12 years old (M = 10.52 ± 1.23 years; 1,335 males, 387 females) was conducted by secondary analysis of clinical baseline concussion data. Demographic information, concussion-like symptoms (PCSI-C), and HRQoL (KIDSCREEN-10 Index) were self-reported.

Results

The most reported concussion-like symptoms were common stress symptoms and were significantly negatively correlated with HRQoL. Premorbid histories of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental health challenges, headaches/migraines, and concussion significantly lowered HRQoL. The number of diagnosed concussions and PCSI-C scores were significantly negatively correlated with HRQoL.

Conclusions

The normative ranges and model can indicate HRQoL levels to inform clinicians how children may respond to concussion and streamline care beyond traditional assessment models.