Computerised paediatric asthma quality of life questionnaires in routine care

Huda Mussaffi ¹, Rina Omer ², Dario Prais ¹, Meir Mei-Zahav ¹, Tamar Weiss-Kasirer ¹, Ziv Botzer ¹ and Hannah Blau ^1*

¹ Pulmonary Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel
² Department of Psychological Medicine, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: hblau{at}post.tau.ac.il.

Accepted 2 April 2007

Abstract

The impact of paediatric asthma is far-reaching. Asthma quality of life (QOL) questionnaires are used in research but not readily incorporated in clinical care. We therefore computerised the Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (standardised) (PAQLQ(S)) and Caregivers' PACQLQ, with a colour-coded graphic printed report.

Objectives: To 1) assess feasibility and impact of the electronic questionnaires in clinical care; 2) compare the child’s PAQLQ scores with parent's score, physician’s clinical score and spirometry.

Patients and Study Design: Asthmatic children were given a clinical severity score of 1-4 (increasing severity) using International Guidelines. Children then completed the PAQLQ(S) electronically (scores 1- 7 for increasing quality of life in emotional, symptoms and activity limitation domains) followed by spirometry and physician review. Parents completed the PACQLQ. Inclusion criteria required fluent Hebrew, and reliable performance of spirometry. Children with additional chronic diseases were excluded.

Results: 147 asthmatic children aged 7-17y completed PAQLQs and 115 accompanying parents completed PACQLQs, taking 8.3 (4.3-15) and 4.4 (1.5-12.7) minutes respectively (mean (range)). Graphic reports enabled physicians to address QOL during even brief visits. Children's (PAQLQ) and parents' (PACQLQ) total scores correlated (r=0.61, p<0.001), although the children's median emotional score of 6.3 was higher than their parents’ 5.7 (p<0.001) whereas median activity limitation score was lower than their parents': 5.0 and 6.8 respectively (p<0.001). No correlation was found with physician's clinical score or spirometry.

Conclusions: Electronic PAQLQ’s are easy to use, providing additional insight to spirometry and physician’s assessment, in routine asthma care. Future studies must assess impact on asthma management.

Keywords: asthma, computerised, electronic, quality of life, questionnaire

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