RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Health related quality of life (HRQoL) reflects the impact of a chronic disease, such as asthma, from a patient perspective. Late midlife adults (50-64 years) have been identified by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention as an important population for healthy aging. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the factors associated with HRQoL among late midlife adults with asthma. METHODS: This study utilized data from 2012 to 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call Back Survey. Adults with current asthma and 50-64 years of age were included in the study. Independent variables were identified using the Andersen Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization. HRQoL was defined using 4 domains including self-rated health, physical health, mental health and activity limitation. Descriptive statistics were used to assess sample characteristics. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with the four HRQoL domains. All analyses were stratified by asthma control status. Appropriate survey weights were used to account for the complex survey design. RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 5857 (Weighted: 4 million) late midlife asthmatics, mostly female (66%) and White (72%). About 42% had fair/poor self-rated health, 33% had impaired physical health, 23% had impaired mental health, and 24% experienced activity limitation. Multivariate analyses found that Non-Hispanic African American adults were significantly more likely to report fair/poor self-rated health compared to Whites (Well-controlled asthma OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2-4.1). Adults who experienced any cost barrier were significantly more likely to have activity limitations (Poorly controlled asthma OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.3). Adults with a respiratory comorbidity were more likely to report impaired physical health compared to adults without (Well controlled asthma OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.01-2.7). CONCLUSION: Reducing respiratory comorbidities and cost barriers may improve HRQoL in asthmatic late midlife adults.
