OBJECTIVES: The measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is increasingly important as a means of monitoring population health status over time, of detecting sub-groups within the general population with poor HRQOL, and of assessing the impact of public health interventions within a given population. At present, no standardised instrument exists which can be applied with equal relevance in pediatric populations in different European populations. The collaborative European KIDSCREEN project aims to develop a standardised screening instrument for children's quality of life which will be used in representative national and European health surveys. Participants of the project are centres from Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and United Kingdom. By including the instrument in health services research and health reporting, it also aims at identifying children at risk in terms of their subjective health, thereby allowing the possibility of early intervention. METHODS: Instrument development will be based on constructing a psychometrically sound HRQOL instrument taking into account the existing state of the art. Development will centre on literature searches, expert consultation (Delphi Methods) and focus groups with children and adolescents (8-17 years). According to international guidelines, items will be translated into the languages of the seven participating countries for a pilot test with 2,100 children and their parents in Europe. The final instrument will be used in representative mail and telephone surveys of HRQOL in 1,800 children and their parents per country (total n = 25,200) and normative data will be produced. The potential for implementing the measurement tool in health services and health reporting will also be evaluated in several different research and public health settings. The final analysis will involve national and cross cultural-analysis of the instrument. RESULTS: The international, collaborative nature of the KIDSCREEN project means it is likely to provide many challenges in terms of producing an instrument which is conceptually and linguistically appropriate for use in many different countries, but it will also provide the opportunity to develop, test and implement the first truly cross-national HRQOL instrument developed for use in children and adolescents. This will help to contribute to a better understanding of perceived health in children and adolescents and to identify populations at risk.
