Assessing the Quality of Life in Children with Respiratory Illnesses Using Modified WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Respiratory illnesses in children significantly affect their quality of life (QOL), influencing physical activity, social interactions, and sleep quality. Evaluating QOL in pediatric populations is crucial to understanding the impact of these diseases on their health-related well-being and treatment outcomes. This study aims to analyze QOL using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF questionnaire. Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital with patients aged 6–18 years for a duration of 6 months. Data from 132 patients were collected using a modified WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and analyzed with Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS 23. Results: The mean age of the patients was 10.85 ± 2.73 years; 54.55% were male. The average body mass index was 15.67 ± 3.46 kg/m², and 25% had allergies. Average domain scores were as follows: physical (48.96 ± 12.78), psychological (63.20 ± 9.36), social relations (77.06 ± 9.96), and environment (63.91 ± 10.80). The average total score was 81.81 ± 7.41. The physical domain has the lowest QOL value and, hence, is majorly affected among all the four domains. Significant correlations were found for the physical and psychological domains. Conclusions: The findings indicated that children with tuberculosis and asthma had lower scores in the physical domain due to symptoms such as dyspnea and wheezing, which impacted their physical activities and overall well-being. No significant gender differences were observed, underscoring the need for gender-neutral interventions. The modified WHOQOL-BREF proved to be reliable and valid, with the required cultural adjustments, ensuring its internal consistency.