Quality of life in caregivers of children with asthma: Validity and reliability of the IFABI-R questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Parents'/caregivers' quality of life is an important aspect to consider when handling paediatric asthma, but there is a paucity of valid and reliable instruments to measure it. The Family Impact of Childhood Bronchial Asthma (IFABI-R) is a recently developed questionnaire to facilitate the assessment of asthma-related parents'/caregivers' quality of life. This study researches the psychometric properties of IFABI-R. METHODS: Parents/main caregivers of 462 children between 4 and 14 years of age with active asthma were included in the sample. IFABI-R was administered on two different occasions and a number of other variables related to the parents'/caregivers' quality of life were measured: child's asthma control, family functioning, and parents'/caregivers' perception of asthma symptoms in the child. IFABI-R evaluative and discriminative properties were analysed, and the minimal important change in the IFABI-R score was identified. RESULTS: IFABI-R showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.941), cross-sectional construct validity (correlation with the degree of child's asthma control, family functioning and parent/caregiver perception of the child's asthma symptoms), longitudinal construct validity (correlation of changes in the IFABI-R with changes in asthma control and changes in the perception of symptoms), sensitivity to change and test-retest reliability. An absolute change of 0.3 units in IFABI-R related to a minimal significant change in the parents'/caregivers' quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: IFABI-R is a reliable and valid instrument to study the quality of life of parents/caregivers of children with asthma.

[Evaluation of activities and effectiveness of an asthmatic child program developed in primary care]. / Evaluación de las actividades y de la efectividad de un programa del niño asmático desarrollado en atención primaria.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate activities and effectiveness of a programme of attention to asthmatic child, defined by a proper diagnostic process and therapeutic intervention, by the gain of educational goals and by reduction of number of asthma attacks. DESIGN: A before-after study SETTING: Primary care PARTICIPANTS: The first 81 children attracted to the programme. Aged 5 to 13. INTERVENTION: Each child was periodically revised (mean time of monitoring 11 months and 24 days: interval 7-17 months). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Intervention obtained significative results (p < 0.0001) in: lung function study and allergens detection, use of inhalatory way and peak flow meter. Asthma attacks were reduced (p < 0.0001): before 216, mean 2.66, SD 1.85, range 0-8; and after 117, mean 1.44, SD 1.27, range 0-5. CONCLUSIONS: 1. A systematic and organized intervention from Primary Care results effective to improve quality of life in asthmatic child (better diagnostic, more abilities, less asthma attacks). 2. It must be stated new strategies for reduction of smoking at home of these children.