Quality of life among children and adolescents of different minorities in Yunnan province,China

Objective To analyze the quality of life(QOL)among minority children and adolescents in Yunnan province,China,and to provide evidence for further intervention measurement.Methods A cluster sample of 291 minority children and adolescents aged between 7 and 18 years in Zhenyuan county of Yunnan province were investigated with the children and adolescents' QOL scale.Results The QOL score of Hani childmen and adolescents(141.22±13.30)was higher than that of Dai(138.55±11.96)and Lahu(134.20±12.15).There were significant differences in QOL scores among Hani,Dai and Lahu children and adolescents except for the factor of family relationship,negative emotion and self-satisfaction(P<0.01 for all).The overall score of QOL among the children and adolescents of the three minorities(137.92±12.76)showed no significant difference compared with the QOL level of rural children in China(138.98±16.91),but for the dimensions of relationship between teacher and student,relationship of company,self-conception,and athletic ability,the minority children and adolescents had higher scores than Chinese rural children(P<0.05 for all).The children and adolescents of the three minorities were inferior to Chinese rural level in the dimensions of study ability and attitude,homework attitude,convenience of life,chance of activity,and self-satisfaction(P<0.05 for all).Conclusion The level of QOL of minority children and adolescents is significantly diffenent from the norm of rural children in China,which may result from the conditions of the local traffic and education.