Positive child health assessed using a quantitative Positive Child Health Index (PCHI) was associated with quality of life (QoL) across the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn (ELGAN) cohort at school age. This according to a recent study that assessed the development of a PCHI based on 11 adverse outcomes and evaluated the association of PCHI with QoL in a preterm cohort. 889 children enrolled in the ELGAN study in 2002-2004 were followed up at age 10. A parent/caregiver completed questionnaires for child QoL, asthma, visual or hearing impairment, gross motor function impairment, epilepsy, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and depression. The child was also assessed for cognitive impairment, autism, and obesity. Researchers found:

• Among ELGAN children, higher PCHI scores were associated with higher reported QoL scores for all QoL categories.
• Children with no disorders and a PCHI of 100% had Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory total scores that were 11 points higher than children with ≥1 adverse outcomes (PCHI of <100%).
• Boys had lower QoL scores for the total, psychosocial, social, and school categories.