Asthma Control, Its Related Factors, and Impact on Quality of Life Among Pediatric Patients at a Tertiary Center in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study

To assess asthma control, factors affecting asthma control, and the relationship between asthma control and quality of life.One hundred thirty-six children with persistent asthma aged 7 to 17 years were enrolled from pediatric respiratory clinics at Jordan University Hospital from October 2023 to January 2024.This was a cross-sectional study using 2 stages of data collection: (1) a self-administered questionnaire and (2) an interview with an affiliated member of the research team. The questionnaire was divided into 3 sections: (1) basic demographic information about the children and their caregivers, (2) the child’s medical history and clinical details, and (3) asthma control using age-appropriate tools: Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT)/Asthma Control Test (ACT). Medication adherence was measured using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS), and quality of life was evaluated using the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ).Fifty-two percent of households reported exposure to in-house smoking, and 12.5% owned pets. A total of 43.4% of participants had well-controlled asthma. The PAQLQ score was 4.9 ± 1.5, and the mean MMAS score was 4.2 ± 1.9. Most participants showed poor medication adherence (84.6%), 12.5% had moderate adherence, and 2.9% had excellent adherence. Participants with uncontrolled asthma had more frequent hospital admissions (P = .008) and were more sensitive to cold weather (P = .002), spring (P = .031), and infections (P = .001). Susceptibility to infections was found to be a negative predictor of asthma control (odds ratio [OR]: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.15-0.91). A higher PAQLQ score was found to be a positive predictor of controlled asthma (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.26-2.48). There were no major differences in sociodemographic or treatment-related factors between those with controlled and uncontrolled asthma.Many children with asthma at Jordan University Hospital had poor asthma control, which was associated with lower quality of life, more frequent hospital admissions, and sensitivity to weather changes and infection.This study highlights how many children with asthma in Jordan struggle with poor control. It is remarkable that exposure to in-home smoking and medication adherence were not associated with differences in asthma control. However, the clear link between quality of life and asthma control is a reminder of how much these children are impacted day to day. Although the study is limited by being cross-sectional and relying on self-reports, it highlights some important areas, such as environmental triggers and adherence, that we can focus on to improve care. More research is needed to discover feasible options for improved asthma management for Jordanian youth.