Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Asthma is a chronic lung disease that negatively affects children's quality of life (QoL). Improving QoL is a key outcome in managing children with asthma. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive interventional package on QoL among asthmatic children attending an asthma clinic at a selected hospital. HYPOTHESIS: The study hypothesizes that the experimental group will show significant improvement in QoL compared with the control group. METHOD: This quantitative experimental research study was conducted among 94 asthmatic children aged 10-17 years presenting at a pediatric asthma clinic in a selected hospital in Malappuram, Kerala. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomized in a single-blind study and allocated to either a control group (N = 47) or an experimental group (N = 47) using allocation concealment methods. Data were collected using three tools: the Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire, the Mini Pediatric Asthma QoL Questionnaire, and the Asthma Control Questionnaire. The control group received no comprehensive interventional package and continued with their medical treatment, while the experimental group received a comprehensive interventional package that included asthma education and Buteyko breathing exercises along with routine medical treatment. Both groups were assessed four times at four-week intervals using the same tools. RESULTS: Effectiveness was assessed by using the statistical analysis of repeated measures of analysis of variance. The comprehensive interventional package group showed a significant improvement (p < 0.001) in QoL compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: The comprehensive interventional package, which includes both asthma education and breathing exercises, can significantly improve asthma knowledge, symptom control, and QoL in children with asthma. This study revealed that improving the understanding regarding the asthma and practicing a breathing exercise regularly along with routine medical treatment would help the children to reduce asthma burden.