A gender perspective on parents’ answers to a questionnaire on children's asthma

• Published in: Respiratory medicine 2007-03, Vol.101 (3), p.554-560
• Main Authors: Hederos, Carl-Axel, Janson, Staffan, Hedlin, Gunilla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety - psychology; Asthma; Asthma - drug therapy; Asthma - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Children; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Emotions; Fathers - psychology; Female; Gender; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mothers - psychology; Parent-Child Relations; Patient Compliance - psychology; Pneumology; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary/Respiratory; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Questionnaires; Sex Factors; Sleep; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0954-6111; 1532-3064
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2006.06.018

Summary Background Is there a difference in the answers of mothers and fathers to the Paediatric Caregiver's Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ)? If so, does this reflect a perception that has any consequence for the medication and health of the child? Methods We performed a randomised prospective intervention study with extra support and education in the form of group discussions with half of the parents of 60 pre-school children with newly diagnosed asthma. Parents answered separately the PACQLQ at inclusion, and after 6 and 18 months. Results There were no major gender differences in indices at any occasion, but mothers were more disturbed at night, felt more helpless and frightened and the child's asthma interfered more with their work at inclusion. After 6 months the mothers in the intervention group showed improvements in all indices. After 18 months the children in the intervention group had better adherence and their exacerbation rate was half that of the control group. In the region where this method now is standard the in-hospital days with asthma are the lowest in the country. Conclusion There are differences in the answers of fathers and mothers to the PACQLQ. In the intervention group the mothers reported that they were less worried and less restricted in their activities. This equalisation of the parent's roles in handling their child's asthma might be part of the explanation as to why the children in the intervention group had better adherence and were healthier.