Health-related Quality of Life After Pediatric Trauma

Purpose Of Review: Pediatric injury results in significant preventable morbidity and functional limitations, with long-term impact on the quality of life of children and their families. The purpose of this review is to outline recent research in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in pediatric trauma, with an emphasis on identification of predictors of outcome that will impact interventions and allocation of resources to optimize recovery.

Recent Findings: Studies of HRQOL in pediatric trauma use a variety of generic measurement tools that have now been validated in this patient population. Most children experience rapid recovery of physical and psychological functioning after injury, but children with traumatic brain injury continue to demonstrate long-term impairments. Decrease in HRQOL of children after trauma contributes to increase in caregiver stress and family burden of injury. There is increasing recognition of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in pediatric trauma, correlating with and impacting HRQOL.

Summary: Evaluation of HRQOL in children after trauma should become incorporated into standards of care, with development of family-centered interventions and evidence-based allocation of resources for high-risk children and families to optimize long-term outcomes.