Assessing quality of life for adolescents in western Australia

This study investigates the quality of life (QOL) for adolescents residing in Perth, Western Australia. The Quality of Life Profile-Adolescent Version (QOLPAV), a generic self-reported questionnaire, was administered to 363 adolescents aged between ten and 18 years who were enrolled in 20 high schools within metropolitan Perth. Stepwise regression analysis of the data showed that age, control, opportunity and perceptions of health have significant associations with QOL. It was also found that adolescents with a chronic condition and those without have similar QOL scores. This suggests that, in terms of QOL, the chronically ill adolescents do not view themselves as different from their healthy counterparts.