Quality of Life in Children with Asthma

Abstract:

Previous research suggests that, because of the life challenges associated with the chronicity and unpredictability of asthma, children dealing with the disease are at a greater risk for experiencing lower levels of quality of life than children without asthma. Symptoms of asthma can contribute to impairment in academic performance/school attendance, peer relationships, and family functioning. In addition to the experience of having the disease, a number of other factors including disease severity, psychological symptoms, family characteristics, and coping styles have been found to be related quality of life in children with asthma. While a gold standard approach of assessing quality of life in children with asthma has yet to be established, a number of well-researched assessment tools are available for research and clinical use. Intervention studies targeting improved quality of life in children with asthma indicate that programs are only in beginning stages. To improve children and adolescents’ quality of life, treatment implications suggest that multidisciplinary teams of professionals including asthma educators (e.g., nurse practitioners, physician assistants), allergists/pulmanologists, mental health clinicians (e.g., psychologists, social workers), and school personnel (e.g., teachers, school nurses) should work together to best serve youth with asthma and their families. Future research is needed to establish reliable and valid assessment instruments and to evaluate the efficacy of multidisciplinary programs.