title: Stress and Quality of Life in Urban Caregivers of Children With Poorly Controlled Asthma: A Longitudinal Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The intent of this analysis was to examine the longitudinal effects of risk and protective factors on quality of life (QOL) in caregivers of minority children with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Caregivers (n = 300) reported on demographics, child asthma characteristics, daily asthma caregiving stress, general life stress, social support, and QOL. Latent growth curve modeling examined changes in QOL across 12 months as a function of stress, asthma control, and social support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers were primarily the biological mother (92%), single (71%), unemployed (55%), and living in poverty. Children were African American (96%), Medicaid eligible (92%), and had poorly controlled asthma (93%). Lower QOL was associated with higher life stress, greater asthma caregiving stress, and lower asthma control over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings underscore the importance of assessing objective and subjective measures of asthma burden and daily life stress in clinical encounters with urban, low-income caregivers of children with poorly controlled asthma.
authors.forename: Melissa H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bellin
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Osteen
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kub
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bollinger
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsoukleris
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chaikind
authors.forename: Arlene M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Butz
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011203:Poverty; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016903:Drug Monitoring
keywords: Asthma; caregivers; quality of life; stress