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Quality of Life in Children with Asthma in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  • Original Article
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Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of asthma on activity limitation, symptoms and emotional function in the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of asthmatic children.

Methods

A cross-sectional study involving 59 children of 7 to 12 y of age. A standardized version of the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire was used to evaluate HRQL and the current criteria for socioeconomic stratification in Brazil were used to assess socioeconomic status. Independent variables evaluated included clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. The association between mean HRQL scores and the independent variables was evaluated using the Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value < 0.05.

Results

Thirty-two families (56.1 %) had a total household income of more than two minimum wages, while 37 families (62.7 %) were considered lower middle class. Mean overall HRQL score was 4.8 ± 1.3 (out of a maximum score of 7), suggesting reasonable HRQL. There was a weak association between independent variables and mean overall HRQL scores and the mean scores in the emotional function domain. Higher socioeconomic status was related to higher scores for the symptoms domain (p = 0.041). Furthermore, children exposed to indoor mould reported greater impairment in the symptoms domain(p = 0.022). The severity of asthma was associated with the activity limitation domain (p = 0.025).

Conclusions

These results showed a reasonable mean HRQL score and an association between the severity of asthma and the activity limitation domain.

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Contributions

All authors designed the study protocol, analyzed the data and revised critically the manuscript. All authors approved the submitted version.

Conflict of Interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Patricia Gomes de Souza, Clemax Couto Sant’Anna & Maria de Fátima B. Pombo March

Authors
  1. Patricia Gomes de Souza
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  2. Clemax Couto Sant’Anna
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  3. Maria de Fátima B. Pombo March
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patricia Gomes de Souza.

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Gomes de Souza, P., Couto Sant’Anna, C. & B. Pombo March, M.d.F. Quality of Life in Children with Asthma in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Indian J Pediatr 80, 544–548 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-012-0930-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-012-0930-6

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