Abstract:

Objective: The aim of this work was to describe the health-related quality of life of rural children in Tucumán (Argentina), detecting and deepening its most affected dimensions and identifying differences according to economic level, age and sex. Methods: During 2015 a quantitative, non-experimental, transverse study was performed in 427 schoolchildren from 8 to 12 years in Simoca (Tucumán). The international questionnaire Kidscreen-52 was applied; it describes ten dimensions of health-related quality of life. Univariate and bivariate analyzes were performed. Results: "Moods and emotions" and "Social acceptance" dimensions presented the lowest means. Girls scored higher when assessing "School environment", while boys showed higher means in "Physical well-being". Differences according to age were found. Children from the higher economic stratum reported superior means in all dimensions of health-related quality of life when compared to their peers from the middle and lower strata. Conclusions: Perceived health was different according to age, sex and economic level. In rural areas, the children's health-related quality of life found greater commitment to “Moods and emotions” and “Social acceptance” (bullying). Rural children from Tucumán related worse perceived health than their peers from other regions of Argentina.

Keywords: related quality of life- Rural population- Child health- Argentina.