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Abstract Advances in biomedical science and technology have resulted in dramatic improvements in the healthcare of pediatric chronic conditions. The paradigm shift toward patient-reported outcomes (PROs) has provided the opportunity to emphasize the value and critical need for pediatric patient self-report. The uses of HRQOL measurements document the functional and psychosocial outcomes of health conditions. It is important to distinguish ”HRQOL” from general well-being. HRQOL refers to the subjective and objective impact of dysfunction associated with an illness or injury, medical treatment, and health care policy. Definitions of HRQL vary widely, but there are two central aspects inherent in most definitions. First; HRQOL is subjective, so, it should be assessed from the patient’s perspective whenever possible. Second; HRQOL is a multidimensional construct that integrates a broad range of outcomes. WHO definition of health which covers three dimensions: physical, mental, and social. Quality of life is defined as individuals’ perception of their position in life, in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live, and in relation to their goals, expectations, and concerns. Despite increasing emphasis in clinical practice to use patient centered outcomes and child perspectives, there is little evidence that (QOL) measures are routinely used in clinical practice. Efforts to measure child QOL have proved complex, but numbers of generic and disease-specific measures have been reported. Generic measures are designed to assess and compare health status in patients with different diseases and compare outcomes between sick and healthy populations but are often not recommended for work involving evaluation of (RCTs), as they lack sensitivity. While disease specific measures are more suitable for evaluation of clinical trials designed to assess a particular treatment. Although PRO is considered the standard for measuring HRQOL, parent proxy-report may be needed, when the child is too young, too cognitively impaired to complete a HRQOL instrument. Quality of life has been found to be impaired in patients with respiratory diseases like asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic cough and dyspnea. But there are pulmonary conditions such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, ventilator-dependency, and interstitial lung disease for which there is no disease-specific HRQOL measures. Asthma could limit a child’s participation in play and athletics with peers, leading to social and emotional consequences. Thus, instruments designed to assess HRQOL among children with asthma must assess child functioning within multiple social contexts including the family, the child’s peer group, the classroom and the community. |