Effects of creating visual illness narratives on quality of life with asthma: a pilot intervention study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether self-examination through video, by creating visual illness narratives of living with asthma, is associated with improved disease-specific quality of life.


METHODS
Nineteen children and adolescents (aged 8-19 years) with moderate or severe asthma by 1992 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria were administered the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) twice before (T1 and T2) and once immediately after (T3) they made Video Intervention/Prevention Assessment (VIA) visual narratives of their lives with asthma. The PAQLQ is a previously validated scale (range 1-7) that measures asthma-specific quality of life in three domains: activity limitation, symptoms, and emotional function. Overall and domain-specific PAQLQ scores were compared using general linear model repeated measures analysis. Participant exit interviews about the VIA experience were analyzed using grounded theory.


RESULTS
The mean PAQLQ score did not change between T1 and T2, but significantly increased from 4.78 at T1 to 5.30 at T3 (p = .045). The activity level domain score increased from a mean of 4.08 at T1 to 5.08 at T3 (p < or = .001). Qualitative data indicated that VIA was associated with increased disease-awareness and more confident self-management for most participants.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this pilot study suggest that creating visual illness narratives is associated with improved quality of life for children and adolescents with asthma. Research with larger numbers and a control group is needed to evaluate VIA as an intervention and to further quantify its impact on health-related quality of life.
Rich
Michael
M
Center on Media and Child Health, Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. michael.rich@childrens.harvard.edu
Lamola
Steven
S
Woods
Elizabeth R
ER
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording