The impact of inadequately controlled asthma in urban children on quality of life and productivity.
BACKGROUND
The burden of inadequately controlled pediatric asthma on education and other daily activities is not well described.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate asthma-related activity limitations and productivity losses among children and caregivers.


METHODS
Surveys were mailed to caregivers of children with asthma. Caregivers provided demographics, health-related quality of life (HRQL), workplace productivity, and asthma-related costs. Adolescents (aged 12-18 years) provided HRQL, asthma control, and school-based productivity, and young children (aged 4-11 years) completed an asthma control questionnaire with help from a caregiver.


RESULTS
Among the 239 respondents, the mean age was 10.1 years; 49% were girls. More than half were inadequately controlled as measured using the Asthma Control Test. Both HRQL and productivity were significantly lower in patients with inadequately controlled asthma compared with those with controlled asthma. In the previous year, caregivers reported missing 1.4 days of work due to their child's asthma, with the child missing an average of 4.1 school days. Fewer adolescents with controlled asthma reported missing 1 or more school days in the previous week compared with adolescents with inadequately controlled asthma (3.5% vs 34.0%; P < .001). There were similar differences in caregiver workdays missed and health care resource use: both were significantly higher in children with inadequately controlled asthma.


CONCLUSIONS
Inadequately controlled asthma has a significant impact on asthma-specific HRQL, school productivity and attendance, and work productivity of children and their caregivers.
Schmier
Jordana K
JK
Exponent, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, USA. jschmier@exponent.com
Manjunath
Ranjani
R
Halpern
Michael T
MT
Jones
Mechelle L
ML
Thompson
Katherine
K
Diette
Gregory B
GB
D000041:Absenteeism; D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014505:Urban Population