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Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology
2005 October, Vol. VIII, No. 2 (2957-2965)
HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AND PAEDIATRIC ASTHMA: WHOSE QUALITY OF LIFE AND WHAT SHOULD WE MEASURE?
Rima Staugas, Michael Sawyer
Department of Pulmonary Medicine of Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
Paediatricians increasingly recognize the importance of health-related quality of life (HRQL). Childhood asthma is common and for many years the reduction and monitoring of symptoms were the main goals of treatment. However, many additional treatment goals have been added including reduction of hospitalization, reduction of chronic inflammation, and normal psychological development. HRQL is a multidimensional construct which is likely to be influenced by a range of factors in children’s family and social environment. To understand the magnitude of any treatment or intervention benefit requires the perspective of the sufferer as well. In article authors described factors, that could influence quality of life, and measures to assess those factors.