[Development of quality of life assessment scale for caregivers of asthmatic children (QOLCA-24)].
OBJECTIVE
We developed the health related QOL questionnaire which is specific for a caregiver of an asthmatic child, who has been treated based on JPGL (Japanese Pediatric Guideline for the Treatment and Management of Asthma).


METHODS
Based on the answers collected anonymously or with interviews concerning caregivers' quality of life influenced by having children with asthma, the multiple choice secondary questionnaire was made. Through psycho-analytic procedures of the data from secondary survey 24-item questionnaire (QOLCA-24) has been developed.


RESULTS
Factor analysis revealed 11 factor structure of QOLCA-24. Internal consistency (cronbach alpha) of whole 24 items was 0.942. kappa value which showed repetition plasticity was 0.27-0.53. The responsiveness associated with change of symptoms were significant in the items of factor 1 (Fear of asthma attack) and factor 7 (Job related burden of the caregiver). The score of most factors in QOLCA-24 were correlated with score of each item in SF-8.


CONCLUSIONS
QOLCA-24 is thought to be useful as a tool to evaluate QOL of caregivers with asthmatic children.
Watanabe
Hiroko
H
Department of Allergy, National Center for Child Health and Development. watanabe-h@ncchd.go.jp
Katsunuma
Toshio
T
Kondo
Naomi
N
Akasawa
Akira
A
Ohya
Yukihiro
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000451:nursing*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013732:Test Anxiety Scale