Research
Adolescents' wellbeing and functioning: relationships with parents' subjective general physical and mental health
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* Corresponding author: Yannis Tountas chsr.med.uoa@gmail.com
1 Centre for Health Services Research, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Athens Medical School, 25 Alexandroupoleos street, 115 27 Athens, Greece
2 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, "Agia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
3 Department of Psychiatry, Community Mental Health Center Byron-Kesariani, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
4 Robert Koch Institute, Child and Adolescent Health, Berlin, Germany
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2009, 7:100 doi:10.1186/1477-7525-7-100
Published: 15 December 2009Abstract
Background
This study aimed at examining the relationship between parental subjective health status and adolescents' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as well as the role of gender, socioeconomic status, presence of chronic health care needs and social support on the above interaction.
Methods
Questionnaires were administered to a Greek nation-wide random sample of adolescents (N = 1 194) aged 11-18 years and their parents (N = 973) in 2003. Adolescents' and parents' status was assessed, together with reports of socio-economic status and level of social support. Various statistical tests were used to determine the extent to which these variables were related to each other.
Results and Discussion
Parental subjective mental health status was significantly correlated with adolescents' better physical and psychological wellbeing, moods and emotions, parent-child relationships, school environment and financial resources. Parental subjective physical health status was strongly associated with more positive adolescents' self-perception. Adolescents' male gender, younger age, absence of chronic health care needs, high social support, and higher family income were positively associated with better HRQoL.
Conclusions
This study reinforces the importance of parental subjective health status, along with other variables, as a significant factor for the adolescents' HRQoL.