Abstract

ASTHMA CHILDREN PATIENTS’ QUALITY OF LIFE

Anna Todorova* and Antoaneta Tsvetkova

ABSTRACT

Background: Over the last decades, a large number of epidemiological studies have identified that the increased incidence of childhood asthma makes this respiratory disease the most common chronic childhood disease. The high rate of asthma morbidity in childhood is due to numerous factors: environmental triggers, untimely diagnosis and treatment delay, lack of assistance for an effective management of the therapeutic regimen, insufficient patient education of children and their parents. The disease very often worsens the quality of life in both adolescents with bronchial asthma and their parents. The objective of this research is to examine pediatric patients’ quality of life (QoL) in two age groups – 6-12 years and 13-16 years. Methods: Child Attitude toward Illness Scale (CATIS) was the generic tool used for the assessment of pediatric patients’ attitudes toward their illness. Results: CATIS test results showed that younger patients’ attitude (6-12 years of age) toward their chronic health condition was ―slightly positive‖ and the attitude of adolescent patients (13-16 years of age) was ―neutral‖. A statistically significant correlation was found between patients’ age and gender and their quality of life. With increasing age, patients’ quality of life decreased. The results showed that girls experienced a lower QoL than boys. Conclusions: Research findings did not show a lower QoL in the surveyed pediatric patients. The demographic characteristics (age and gender) could be considered factors influencing pediatric patients’ attitudes toward their illness.

Keywords: bronchial asthma, CATIS, children, emotional state, quality of life.