title: Asthma control and quality of life in school- age children in Enugu south east, Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study set out to assess the quality-of-life of school-age children in relation to their level of asthma control.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional descriptive study of children with asthma using the Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life questionnaire (PAQLQ) and the Asthma Therapy Assessment Questionnaire (ATAQ) to respectively assess the health-related quality of life and the level of asthma control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety children with mean age of 11.8(SD, 2.8; 95% CI, 11.2 to 12.4) years, were enrolled. Fifteen children (16.7%) were well-controlled, 17 (18.9%) were partly-controlled while 58 (64.4%) had uncontrolled asthma. The mean asthma control score for all participants was 3.2 (95% CI, 2.8 to 3.7). The mean quality-of-life score was 5.3 (SD, 1.2; 95% CI, 4.9 to 5.5). The lowest score was in the symptom domain: 5.1 (SD, 1.4; 95% CI, 4.9 to 5.5), and among the 14-17 year age group (4.5 SD, 1.5; MD=1.1; p=0.002). The emotional domain was the least affected 5.4 (SD, 1.3; 95% CI, 5.1 to 5.7). Children with well-controlled asthma had the best quality-of-life scores in symptom domains: 5.6 (SD, 1.3; 95% CI, MD=0.6, p=0.63). Quality of life scores were not significant in determining asthma control (MD=0.1, p=0.98). Age was noted as the strongest quality-of-life predictor (B=-0.2, p=0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QOL scores are better in children with well-controlled asthma. Adolescent age group marks a period of both poor asthma control and quality of life in children with asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu Nigeria.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ayuk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oguonu
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Ikefuna
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Ibe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires