RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PARENT REPORT OF ASTHMA HEALTH STATUS AND OTHER MEASURES OF ASTHMA OUTCOMES: RESULTS FROM PAC PORT STUDY Linda Asmussen, Lynn M. Olson, Kelly Arduino, Kevin B. Weiss American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, IL; Center for Healthcare Studies, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the relationship between parent-reported health status for children with asthma and other common (eg, physiological, clinical, utilization) asthma outcome variables.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between quality of life, as measured by the Children's Health Survey for Asthma (CHSA) and other indicators of asthma-related health in a group of children with mild to moderate persistent asthma.

DESIGN/METHODS: Baseline data from 618 parent/child dyads were used to obtain information about asthma and asthma-related outcomes. Parents completed questionnaires, including the CHSA and ASD-14 (a report of symptom activity) and children completed spirometry. Five subscales computed from the CHSA include Physical Health, Activities [child & family] and Emotional Health [child & family]. Correlations examined relationships between the 5 CHSA subscales and other asthma-related outcome variables including parent-reported symptom days, # of school days missed, satisfaction w/care, # of asthma-related hospital and ED visits, and FEV1.

RESULTS: Correlations were noted between all CHSA scales and # of times child had wheezing(-.18 to -.42), ASD14 scores (-.26 to -.51), # of school days missed (-.16 to -.36), and # of days plans were changed due to child's asthma (-.09 to -.36). Although all CHSA scales correlated with # of ED visits (in past year) reported at baseline, no similar relationships were observed between CHSA scale scores and # of hospital visits (in past year) reported. No clear-cut relationship emerged between CHSA scale scores and pre- or post-bronchodilator FEV1 scores.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that health status assessment as measured by the CHSA provides a broader perspective on the burden of asthma than spirometry, symptom scores, or health care utilization.