الفهرس 
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Abstract
Bronchial Asthma (BA) is a serious, global, and chronic health problem among children. Worldwide, the prevalence of BA, its related morbidity and mortality are increasing. It leads to school absenteeism, frequent emergency admission and hospitalization.BA was impairing not only the quality of life of the children but also their families’ caregivers. Thus, pediatric nurses should assess QoL of children with BA as well as their caregivers to provide them a holistic care that improve QoL of children and their caregivers.
The aim of this study isto determine quality of life among children with bronchial asthma and their caregivers.
The study was conducted at pediatric outpatient, inpatient departments and pediatric allergy clinic at Damanhur Medical National Institute. A convenient sample of 100 children with BA and their caregivers who fulfill the following criteria were comprised the subjects:
1- Age is ranged from 7 to 12 years.
2- Diagnosed with bronchial asthma since at least 6 months.
3- Free from any other chronic diseases.
Three tools were used to collect data.Tool one is socio-demographic characteristics of children with bronchial asthma and their caregivers and children’s clinical data structured interview schedule. Tool two is Pediatric Asthma Quality of life Questionnaire with Standardized Activity (PAQLQS).It included three domains that involved activity limitation, symptoms and emotional function.
Children had high QoL when their scores were 115 to 161 score and had moderate QoL with 69 to 114 scores. Whereas, they had low QoL when their scores were 23 to 68.
While tool three is called Pediatric Asthma Caregiver’s Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ). It included two domains that involved activity limitation and emotional function.
Caregivers had QoL when their scores were 65 to 91score and had moderate QoL with 39 to 64 scores. Besides, they had Low QoL were their scores were 13 to 38.
The main results of the present study were as follows:
Nearly three quarters of children with BA (76%) were male.
About two third of children (62%) aged from 7 years to less than 9 years old with a mean of 8.01± 1.61.
More than half of children (61%) were the first -born child while only 5% of them were the fourth & more child in their families.
The majority of caregivers (87%) were mothers.
Forty three percent of caregivers (43%) aged from 30 to less than 35 years old. On the other hand, the age of only 6% of them were less than 25 years old with a mean ofage 32.26 ± 4.2.
Less than half of caregivers (44%) finished their university educational level, while the minority of them (5 %) was illiterate.
Fifty seven percent of caregivers (57%) were not working.
The income of more than half of caregivers (59%)was inadequate.
About half of children (46%) suffered from BA at the age of less than one year and only 5% of them suffered from BA at the age of six years and more.
The most trigger factors of asthma attack were respiratory infections, weather change, exercise, smoking as well as strong odors in the children’s environment (22.1%, 22.1%, 12.6% and 9.1% respectively).
The most common manifestations of BA exhibited by children are cough, wheezing, difficulty breathing, tachypnea, chest tightness, increased mucus secretions and blue color of lips and nails (20.9%, 19.2%, 15.1%, 10.0%, 9.6%, 6.3% and 0.8% respectively).
The disease was mostly discovered by clinical manifestations (84%).
Nearly one third of children (36%) were previously hospitalized and 50% of them were hospitalized only once.
Fifty percent of children have family history of bronchial asthma.
The majority of the children (82%) used bronchodilators and corticosteroids for treatment during the attack of BA.
Avoidance of trigger factors, medications compliance and regular follow up (28.2%, 18.3% and 9.9% respectively) were the most common preventive measures that followed by caregivers for the recurrent attack.
More than three quarters of children (77%) were adherent to follow up.While, nearly one quarter of them (23%) were not adherent.
More than half of children (55.8%) who were adherent to follow up sought follow up every three months.
The highest percent of children exhibited low QoL level regarding activity limitation (61%), symptoms (78%)as well as emotional function (78%) domains with a mean of 13.82 ± 5.02, 24.80 ± 9.44 and20.25 ± 7.16respectively.
Three quarters of children (76%) experienced low QoL level in all domains with a mean of 58.87 ± 19.04.
The highest percent of caregivershad low QoL concerning activity limitation (79%) and emotional function (76%) domains with a mean of 10.56 ± 4.02 and 23.11± 9.61 respectively.
The majority of caregivers (80%) exhibited low QoL level in all domains with a mean of 33.67 ± 12.51.
It was obvious that there were statistical significant differences between children’s quality of life and their age, educational level as well as birth order (P=0.000*, P=0.01and P=0.000 respectively).
Significant statistical relationship was found between children’s QoL levels and their caregivers’ age (P=0.00).
The relation between family income and children’s QoL levels was statistically significant (P=0.00).
A statistical significant difference was found between children’s age and their caregivers’ QoL levels where P= 0.05.
The relation between children’s birth order and their caregivers’ QoL levelswas statistically significant (P=0.000).
It is obvious that the majority of children (87.50% ) who sought follow up every 6 months had caregivers suffering from low QoL with statistical significant difference where P= 0.00.
The difference was statistically significant (P= 0.00) between caregivers’ age and their QoL levels.
A statistical significant difference found between children’s QoL levels and their caregivers’ QoL levels (P= 0.000).