Exploring Quality of Life in Adult Asthmatics

Asthma is a chronic condition that affects individuals of all ages and its prevalence is on the rise (Yen, Yelin, Katz, Eisner, & Blanc, 2006). The prevalence is highest in the United States and Canada (Lougheed. 2007). Poorly controlled asthma leads to decreased health and well-being and limitations in daily activities (Meyer, Sternfels, Fagan, & Ford, 2002). One of the goals of asthma treatment is to improve quality of life. The objective of this investigation was to assess the existence of a relationship between (a) quality of life with asthma and educational levels of individuals, (b) quality of life with asthma and number of clinic visits to an allergy/asthma specially clinic, and (c) level or education and the number or clinic visits by the patient. Asthma patients were identified by the physician. Data collection was obtained via the use or the Mini Asthma Quality or Lire Questionnaire (Mini-AQLQ) developed by Professor Elizabeth Juniper (Juniper, Guyau, Ferric, & Griffith, 1993). Level of education or participants was assessed utilizing a brief questionnaire developed by the investigator. Spearman's rho is the statistical test that was utilized to determine if a relationship existed between asthma quality or life and educational levels or individuals, in addition to determining if a relationship existed between educational levels of individuals and number or clinic visits by the patient. Pearson's product-moment correlation was the statistical test utilized to determine if a relationship existed between number of clinic visits and asthma quality of life. / A convenience sample (N=50) was obtained from an allergy/asthma specialty clinic in north Texas from May 12 to July 11, 2008. Correlations were calculated using Spearman's rho and Pearson's product moment correlation. / Research question number one was, \What is the relationship, if any, between level of education in adult asthmatics and asthma quality of life?\ Level of level of education (skewness = -.946, kurtosis .300) and quality of life scores obtained from the completion of the Mini-AQLQ (M = 5.88, SD= .936) were correlated. r’s = .091, p = .530. / Research question number two was, \What is the relationship, if any, between number of clinic visits and quality of life in adults with asthma'?\ Number of clinic visits (skewness = .907, kurtosis, .128) and quality of life (M = 5.88, SD = .936) were correlated, r= -.028, p = .845. / Research question number three was, \What is the relationship, if any, between level of education and number of clinic visits in adults with asthma?\ Level of education (skewness = -.946, kurtosis .300) and number of clinic visits (M= 1.44, SD = .577) were correlated, r’s = .008, p = .954. / This investigation found that there were no statistically significant relationships between quality of life in adult asthmatics, level of education completed, or number of clinic visits at this investigational site.