Quality of life social disparities and roles of family and unhealthy behaviours among adolescents.

Adolescents’ quality of life determinants include socioeconomic characteristics and unhealthy behaviours. This study explored WHOQOL social disparities and the roles of family structure, income and unhealthy behaviours. Methods: 1556 middle-school adolescents from north-eastern France completed a self-administered questionnaire measuring WHOQOL domains and other factors. Data were analysed using multiple regression models. Findings: Significantly lower WHOQOL was found for clerk (gender-age-adjusted regression coefficient r 5.8 (SE 1.1)), manual-worker ( 5.7 (1.5)), unemployed/inactive ( 10.3 (1.5)) and other categories ( 1.3 to 3.2), compared with manager families. Controlling for family structure and income highly reduced the r to 2.45 (1.1), 2.3 (1.5), 5.3 (1.6) and 1.5 to 0.89 (NS), respectively. The disparities remained after further controlling for last-month tobacco/alcohol/cannabis uses and lack of sports-physical activity. Similar findings were found for all physical, psychological, social relationships and environment WHOQOL domains. Discussion: WHOQOL disparities are highly explained by family structure, income and unhealthy behaviours that may be prevention targets.