Quality of life in children: a comparative study between urban and rural areas in Northern Chile

Background: The quality of life in children is associated with their experiences, family and their sociocultural environment. Objective: To identify the significant components in assessing quality of life from the children's perception. Participants and Method: Using a cross-sectional design, the Child Life Quality Scale was applied to a total of 200 children aged 8-12 years, from an urban and a rural area located in northern Chile. Three open questions were presented about experiences of satisfaction, dissatisfaction and desire for change, classifying the answers in six categories. Results: No significant differences in the perception of quality of life in children from urban and rural areas were found, however, the evaluation of the content of the answers allowed us to establish some differences between the two groups. Conclusion: In the urban area, the greatest experiences of satisfaction level were associated with interpersonal relationships, while in the rural area, with leisure and recreational activities.