Risk factor analysis of the quality of life in children aged 6 to 15 years with allergic rhinitis in Hohhot city: An observational study

As a representative region of high Artemisia pollen allergy prevalence in northern China, the risk factors affecting the quality of life in children with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Hohhot remain understudied. This study aims to explore the risk factors for the quality of life in children aged 6 to 15 years with allergic rhinitis in this region from multiple dimensions, such as psychosocial factors and caregiver burden. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 444 primary and secondary school students (aged 6-15 years) in Hohhot City, with an effective rate of 94.6% (420/444). Relevant information from the general information questionnaire, rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire for children, chronic illness children's resilience scale, sleep disturbance scale for children, and caregiver burden inventory was recorded. The quality of life score of children aged 6 to 15 years with allergic rhinitis was (45.75 ± 8.60) points. Those with a good or better quality of life accounted for 26.9%, those with an average quality of life accounted for 58.3%, and those with a poor or worse quality of life accounted for 14.8%. The results of univariate analysis showed that age, disease duration, birth weight, whether breastfed for more than 6 months, self-rated severity, and place of residence were related to the quality of life (P < .05). The results of correlation analysis showed that the quality of life score was negatively correlated with the psychological resilience score (r = -0.781, P < .01), positively correlated with the sleep disturbance score (R = 0.482, P < .01), and positively correlated with the caregiver burden score (R = 0.395, P < .01). The results of multivariate analysis showed that psychological resilience, self-rated severity, sleep disturbance, age, caregiver burden, and place of residence were influencing factors of the quality of life of the study subjects. These factors entered the regression equation and jointly explained 69.2% of the variation in the quality of life (F = 158.006, P < .01). The quality of life of children aged 6 to 15 years with allergic rhinitis in the Hohhot area is affected by factors such as psychological resilience, self-rated severity, sleep disturbance, age, caregiver burden, and place of residence. Targeted intervention strategies should be developed accordingly to improve their quality of life.