Impact of Lifestyle-Related Practices on Parental Perception of Bronchial Asthma Severity among School-Age Children

Background: Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder that substantially influences well-being and the lifestyle of children. Aim: This study aimed to assess different aspects of the lifestyle of school-age children with bronchial asthma in Saudi Arabia, focusing on their physical activity, school attendance, medication compliance, and social relations. Setting: The study was conducted at the King Abdulaziz Hospital outpatient clinic. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was implemented. Parents and their school-age children were approached to participate in the study. Consented parents filled out a questionnaire which included the child and mother’s sociodemographic information, the child’s current and past asthma history, and the Child Lifestyle Scale. Results: A total of 150 parents and children participated in the study. Participants were exposed to asthma triggers such as exposure to dust (60%), smoking (54%), and exposure to pets (36%). Very few children showed a healthy lifestyle (4%). The study showed that factors leading to unhealthy lifestyles such as not engaging in regular exercise (66%), having disturbed sleep because of asthma attacks (62%), still eating foods causing allergies (26.7%), and not complying with medication (30%). Furthermore, a significant relationship between the child’s asthma severity as perceived by the parents and the child’s engagement in sports, quality of child sleep, school attendance, and medication compliance was found (P = 0.035, 0.026, 0.003, 0.019, respectively). Conclusion: The majority of participants had neutral or unhealthy lifestyles. A holistic care plan for school-age children with asthma must be considered to control their asthma attacks and improve their healthy lifestyle.