Relationship between quality of life and behavioural disorders in children with persistent asthma: a Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model

Sci Rep. 2020 Apr 24;10(1):6957. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-62264-9.

Abstract

Knowledge on multiple interdependences between quality of life (QoL) and behavioural problems in relation to asthma severity and control is undetermined. The aims of the study were: (i) to assess the relationship of QoL and behavioural problems with asthma severity and control (ii) to predict children's "abnormal/borderline" status with variation in QoL. For these purposes a multicenter case-control study on 47 Severe Asthma (SA) and 94 Moderate Asthma (MA) children was performed. The MIMIC approach was applied to investigate the effect of SA and non-controlled asthma (NC) on QoL and behavioural disorders. Logistic regression was used to estimate probabilities of having an "abnormal/borderline" status with variation in QoL. The MIMIC model showed that the magnitude of the effect of SA and NC was larger on QoL (β = -0.37 and β = -0.30, respectively) than on behavioural problems (β = 0.27). With regards to the probability of having a borderline status, in MA a QoL of 1 returned a probability of 0.81, whereas in SA a QoL of 1 returned a probability of 0.89. In conclusion, SA children are highly affected by impaired QoL and behavioural problems. The MIMIC model allowed us to obtain a comprehensive assessment of QoL and behavioural problems with asthma severity and control.

MeSH terms

  • Asthma / physiopathology*
  • Asthma / psychology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Problem Behavior*
  • Quality of Life*