Population‐based study shows that teenage girls with asthma had impaired health‐related quality of life

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica
• Main Authors: Hedman, Linnea, Stridsman, Caroline, Andersson, Martin, Backman, Helena, Jansson, Sven‐Arne, Rönmark, Eva
• Other Authors: Hjärt-Lungfonden
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2017
• Subjects: Northern Sweden
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/apa.13847; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fapa.13847; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/apa.13847

Abstract Aim This study examined the health‐related quality of life ( HRQ oL) of teenagers with and without asthma, including the impact of their sex, allergic conditions, smoking, living conditions and physical activity. Methods The Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden ( OLIN ) studies recruited a cohort of schoolchildren in 2006. The parents of all children aged seven to eight years in three municipalities were invited to complete a questionnaire and 2585 (96%) participated. The cohort was followed up at the ages of 11–12 years and 14–15 years with high participation rates. At 14–15 years, the HRQ oL questionnaire KIDSCREEN ‐10 and Asthma Control Test were added. Results Girls with current asthma at 14–15 years had a lower mean HRQ oL score than girls without asthma (46.4 versus 49.3, p < 0.001), but this was not seen among boys (53.8 versus 52.8, p = 0.373). Poor HRQ oL was related to current asthma, uncontrolled asthma and teenage onset of asthma. It was also related to eczema, living in a single‐parent household, maternal smoking, daily smoking and inversely related to physical activity. Conclusion Teenage girls with asthma had lower HRQ oL than girls without asthma. Possible interventions to improve HRQ oL among teenagers with asthma were identified as follows: increasing asthma control, preventing smoking and promoting physical activity.