Quality of life in children with undiagnosed and diagnosed asthma

This study describes the impact of undiagnosed and diagnosed asthma on quality of life in schoolchildren aged 7-10 years and their caregivers in a cross-sectional community-based study. Diagnosed asthma was defined as the parents' confirmation of a physician's diagnosis of asthma. Undiagno...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of pediatrics 2007-08, Vol.166 (8), p.843-848
Main Authors: VAN GENT, Rene, VAN ESSEN, Liesbeth E. M, ROVERS, Maroeska M, KIMPEN, Jan L. L, VAN DER ENT, Cornelis K, DE MEER, Gea
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Absenteeism
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Asthma - diagnosis
Asthma - psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Caregivers - psychology
Child
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
General aspects
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Pneumology
Quality of Life
Respiratory Function Tests
Saline Solution, Hypertonic
Schools
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:This study describes the impact of undiagnosed and diagnosed asthma on quality of life in schoolchildren aged 7-10 years and their caregivers in a cross-sectional community-based study. Diagnosed asthma was defined as the parents' confirmation of a physician's diagnosis of asthma. Undiagnosed asthma was defined by asthma symptoms combined with airway reversibility or bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Quality of life was evaluated in all children with asthma and a sample of healthy controls by the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, and by the Paediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of Life Questionnaire. We studied the impact of breathing problems on school absence. Compared with healthy controls, quality of life scores among children and their caregivers were lower if the child had asthma (P < 0.05), with lowest scores in diagnosed asthma (P < 0.05 compared with undiagnosed asthma). Children with asthma reported more school absence (P < 0.05), with highest absence rate in those with diagnosed asthma. In conclusion, both undiagnosed and diagnosed asthma have a significant impact on the quality of life of both children and their caregivers.
ISSN:0340-6199
1432-1076
DOI:10.1007/s00431-006-0358-y