Emotional quality-of-life and outcomes in adolescents with asthma.
OBJECTIVE
Examine the association between emotional quality-of-life (QOL) and asthma morbidity in adolescents with asthma.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey of 185 adolescents with asthma 11 to 17 years of age cared for in three managed care organizations (MCOs) in the United States. The asthma-specific Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) and a short version of the generic Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition (CHIP-AE) were used to assess emotional QOL. Asthma morbidity measures were: asthma control, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, doctor visits for worsening asthma, and missed school because of asthma.


RESULTS
Of the adolescents surveyed, 45% reported feeling depressed, 41% had ED visits, and 30% missed >or=1 day of school because of asthma. Poorer asthma-specific emotional QOL was associated with poorer control of asthma symptoms ( P < .0001), missed school (OR 7.1, P < .05), and doctor visits for worsened asthma (OR = 7.0, P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Emotional symptoms related to asthma are common in adolescents with persistent asthma and asthma-specific QOL is related to increased asthma morbidity, healthcare use, and school absenteeism. Adolescents with high morbidity from asthma exhibit poorer QOL. Therefore, the evaluation of asthma-specific emotional QOL should be included in the assessment of adolescents with asthma.
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
Sande O
SO
Okelo
Albert W
AW
Wu
Jerry A
JA
Krishnan
Cynthia S
CS
Rand
Elizabeth A
EA
Skinner
Gregory B
GB
Diette
D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index