Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Rishikesh, Rishikesh, India;
2
Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Raebareli, Raebareli, India;
3
Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Rishikesh, Rishikesh, India;
4
ICMR Centre for Outbreak Science, Indian Council of Medical Research- National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE), Chennai, India;
10.30476/ijcbnm.2024.101716.2442
Abstract
Background: Adolescents experience rapid physical, cognitive, and psychosocial growth in their
transition from childhood to adulthood, affecting health outcomes and well-being. Health-related
quality of life (HRQoL) is a useful indicator of health outcomes, assessed in the current study along
with associated determinants.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 634 randomly selected adolescents from 13
randomly selected schools in Gharwal division, Uttarakhand, India, from August 2019 to September
2020. The students studying in the 8th-11th standard and those providing assent and consent from their
parents were included in the study. They were screened using the short version of the Physical Activity
Readiness Questionnaire. Along with physical activity and fitness assessment, the Global School-based
Student Health Survey questionnaire was administered. The transformed HRQoL domain scores were
calculated using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. A univariate and multivariable linear regression
model was applied to identify the determinants of HRQoL using SPSS version 23.
Results: The study included 324 (51.1%) boys and 310 (48.9%) girls. The mean age of the students was
14.4±1.4 years. The highest mean score was 72.3±21.0 for the social relationship domain and the lowest
was 55.6±15.0 for the physical domain. The age, parents using any form of tobacco, a history of everuse
of alcohol and physical fitness were significantly associated with HRQoL domain scores. The nondominant
back stretch test was also significantly associated (Beta coefficient; SE, P-value) with physical
(-4.1; 1.4, 0.002), psychosocial (-3.9; 1.5, 0.010) and environmental (-3.5; 1.4, 0.014) domain scores.
Conclusion: All domains of HRQoL need to be improved and should address the psychological, social,
and mental well-being of adolescents. Physical activity and fitness of students emerged as a strong
modifiable predictor affecting almost all the domains of HRQoL, warranting its promotion in schools
and the promotion of healthy behavior among parents and adolescents.
Keywords
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