Quality of life and level of physical activity in primary school children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County

Abstract

The aim of this cross sectional study was to assess the quality of life (QOL) and level of physical activity in primary school children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County as compared to healthy peers, and to identify the most pronounced differences in QOL between them. The study included 13 children with JIA recruited from the paediatric rheumatology clinic and 17 healthy children from primary school. The children were aged 8-14 years. All participants, including their parents, completed questionnaires to assess the level of their physical activity (Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children; PAQ-C) and QOL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQLTM) Generic Core and Rheumatology Module scales). Study results showed statistically significant differences in the QOL associated with physical functioning/health (p=0.033), school activities (p=0.008) and psychosocial health (p=0.033) between JIA and control groups. Responses in the rheumatologic questionnaire revealed a statistically significant difference in the QOL associated with pain (p=0.041), daily activities (p=0.011), treatment (p=0.002), concern (p=0.0006) and communication (p=0.0002) between JIA and control groups. The JIA group showed a significantly lower level of physical activity (p=0.008). There was a statistically significant (p=0.0000) correlation between the QOL associated with pain and the QOL associated with physical functioning/health (r=0.94), emotional functioning (r=0.71), social functioning (r=0.74), school functioning (r=0.56) and psychosocial health (r=0.80). In conclusion, study results suggested JIA to affect QOL in almost all domains in the affected primary school children, with the greatest differences from their healthy peers being recorded in the QOL associated with worrying and communicating about their illness.