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How do Children Rate Their Health? An Investigation of Considered Health Dimensions, Health Factors, and Assessment Strategies

Author

Listed:
  • Jacqueline Kroh

    (Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories)

  • Julia Tuppat

    (Leipzig University)

  • Raffaela Gentile

    (Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories)

  • Hanna Reichelt

    (Erziehungs-, Jugend- Und Familienberatung)

Abstract

In large-scale surveys of both children and adults, self-rated health (SRH) based on questions such as “In general, how would you rate your health?” is a widely used measurement to assess individuals’ health status. However, while a large number of studies have investigated the health aspects people consider for their responses, and some studies show deeper insights into the assessment strategies in answering this question for adults, it is largely unknown how children assess their health based on those questions. Therefore, this study examines how children rate their health according to this question in a sample of 54 9- to 12-year-olds. By using techniques of cognitive interviewing and qualitative and quantitative content analysis, we investigate the health dimensions, health factors as well as different assessment strategies that children refer to in their self-assessment of general health. Our results indicate that children in this age group mostly refer to their physical health and daily functioning or consider health more non-specifically. They also show that children take into account a wide range of specific health aspects, with some minor differences between subgroups, especially by gender. Additionally, our study highlights that children use several assessment strategies. Finally, our results indicate that the majority of children assess their health only using one health dimension, but a substantial share of children reflect on several health factors and combine different assessment strategies. We conclude that children refer to comparable health dimensions and health factors, but use somewhat different assessment strategies compared with studies focusing on adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacqueline Kroh & Julia Tuppat & Raffaela Gentile & Hanna Reichelt, 2023. "How do Children Rate Their Health? An Investigation of Considered Health Dimensions, Health Factors, and Assessment Strategies," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(6), pages 2545-2580, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:16:y:2023:i:6:d:10.1007_s12187-023-10066-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-023-10066-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonathan Bradshaw & Petra Hoelscher & Dominic Richardson, 2007. "An Index of Child Well-being in the European Union," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 80(1), pages 133-177, January.
    2. Bruno Martorano & Luisa Natali & Chris De Neubourg & Jonathan Bradshaw, 2013. "Children’s Subjective Well-being in Rich Countries," Papers inwopa686, Innocenti Working Papers.
    3. Jason Schnittker & Valerio Bacak, 2014. "The Increasing Predictive Validity of Self-Rated Health," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, January.
    4. Elizabeth Pollard & Patrice Lee, 2003. "Child Well-being: A Systematic Review of the Literature," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 61(1), pages 59-78, January.
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