Factors Related to Asthma Quality of Life for U.S. and Icelandic Adolescents

• Main Authors: Baumgardner, Jennifer L., Ohlmann, Ashleigh B.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Murray State's Digital Commons 2018
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/postersatthecapitol/2007/UK/15

Purpose: Asthma affects 12% of American children and 9% of Icelandic children. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the demographic, personal, interpersonal, and illness factors that affect asthma quality of life for adolescents in the United States and Iceland. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study included adolescents with asthma (N = 30; n = 15 U.S. adolescents; n = 15 Icelandic adolescents), ages 13-17 years, primarily recruited from pediatric practices in central Kentucky and Reykjavik, Iceland. The majority of the sample was Caucasian. U.S. adolescents (47% male; 53% female) had a mean age of 14.6 years (SD = 1.5); Icelandic adolescents (73% male; 27% female) had a mean age of 15.1 years (SD = 1.5). Seven pencil-and-paper questionnaires that measured variables including demographics, depressive symptoms, an asthma questionnaire, degree of asthma limitations, and quality of life were administered to the adolescents. Multiple regressions were used to determine predictors of asthma quality of life. Results: Higher depressive symptoms, a greater degree of social disruption due to asthma, and more frequent limitations of physical activity were predictive of a lower asthma quality of life. Although location (U.S. vs. Iceland) and gender were included in the regression model as controls, they were not significantly related to asthma quality of life. Discussion: Interventions designed to decrease depression, social disruption, and physical activity limitations may improve asthma quality of life for adolescents.