Inequity in quality of life among culturally and linguistically diverse children in Australia

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to investigate whether children from different culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in Australia have similar Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), in early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. METHODS: We used data from 9099 children from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), aged between 2 and 17 years, including HRQoL measured with the parent proxy Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). The study pertained to cohort data from 2004 to 2018. CALD groups were defined according to child, mother's and father's country of birth and main language spoken at home. The association of child HRQoL with CALD group, was analysed using generalised estimating equations, adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic position (SEP) and weight status. RESULTS: Children of Middle Eastern or North African, South-East Asian, South and Central Asian and Oceania backgrounds had significantly lower HRQoL (p < 0.05) than children from English speaking backgrounds. These disparities were greatest during middle childhood and adolescence and only partly explained by lower SEP and weight status. Disparities in physical HRQoL were greater than psychosocial HRQOL. CONCLUSION: Considerable inequity in HRQoL is present in Australian children from different CALD backgrounds. This study highlights the need for culturally tailored programs for school-aged children to improve their physical HRQoL.