A descriptive analysis of hospitalized adolescents facing chronic illnesses with different durations of disease.

Objectives: To assess characteristics of hospitalized adolescents facing chronic diseases, correlating the perceptions of their illness, quality of life and the prevalence of risk behaviors, considering gender and the diseases' durations.

Methods: The sample consisted of 61 adolescents, aged between 10 and 19 years, with chronic diseases, hospitalized at the University Hospital of the State University of Londrina. They answered a questionnaire and the scales World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) and Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ). They were divided in groups, according to the durations of the disease: group 1 (up to 4 years) and group 2 (5 years or more).

Results: Group 2 demonstrated higher leisure activity (p = 0.02) and more painful symptoms (p = 0.02). In WHOQOL-BREF, group 2 had a higher quality of life in the domain on environment (p = 0.02) and a higher total score (p = 0.04). Lower scores on the IPQ were associated with higher scores on the WHOQOL-BREF. Positive correlation was found between WHOQOL-BREF total score and years of disease, in which male presented higher scores.

Conclusions: These findings may alert to the need for more knowledge about the diseases and the importance of encouraging ways to improve quality of life and care to reduce risky behaviors.