Asthma clinic attendance improves quality of life of Jamaican asthmatic children and their parents.
BACKGROUND
With the increasing incidence of paediatric asthma, there has been a corresponding increase in the physical, emotional and financial burden. This has led to a greater interest in determining the impact of asthma and its treatment on many aspects of patient functioning and wellbeing.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the usefulness of the Asthma Clinic established in Jamaica in 1997 by ascertaining whether there has been improvement in quality of life of children and care-givers who attend the clinic.


METHODS
The quality of life of patients and their parents/care-givers before attending the Asthma Clinic of Bustamante Hospital for Children in Kingston, Jamaica was compared with that of 1 year afterwards. Parents or guardians were interviewed using the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire which consists of three domains [symptoms (ten questions), emotional (eight questions) and activity (five questions)] and the Pediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of life Questionnaire which consist of two domains [emotional (nine questions) and activity (four questions)].


RESULTS
Quality of life improved in patients and their parents/care-givers in all domains.


CONCLUSIONS
Attendance at an asthma clinic in Jamaica improved the quality of life of asthmatic children and their parents/care-givers.
Rose
G
G
The Bustamante Hospital for Children, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies.
Gilbert
T E
TE
Thame
M
M
Bailey
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires