Impact of allergic rhinitis on the day-to-day lives of children: insights from an Australian cross-sectional study

Study design and objective Cross-sectional, observational survey to describe the impact of allergic rhinitis (AR) on Australian children (2 to 15 years).Methods Participants (n=1541), parents of children aged 2 to 15 years, provided information on behalf of themselves and one eligible child in their...

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Main Authors: Michael Abramson, Peter Smith, David B Price, Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich, Charlotte Mary Hespe, Menai Johnson, Rodney Stosic
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-11-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e038870.full
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author Michael Abramson
Peter Smith
David B Price
Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich
Charlotte Mary Hespe
Menai Johnson
Rodney Stosic
author_facet Michael Abramson
Peter Smith
David B Price
Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich
Charlotte Mary Hespe
Menai Johnson
Rodney Stosic
author_sort Michael Abramson
collection DOAJ
description Study design and objective Cross-sectional, observational survey to describe the impact of allergic rhinitis (AR) on Australian children (2 to 15 years).Methods Participants (n=1541), parents of children aged 2 to 15 years, provided information on behalf of themselves and one eligible child in their household using a custom-built online questionnaire. Children were allocated to case (AR) or control (No AR) analysis groups based on a validated screening questionnaire.Statistical methods The study sample was stratified on age: primary analysis population (6 to 15 years, n=1111; AR=797, No AR=314); exploratory population (2 to 5 years). The primary endpoint, parent-perceived burden, was quantified using a validated measure of health status and analysed via comparison of means.Results The majority of AR cases were treated (730/797; 90.3%) and classified as having moderate-severe, intermittent AR (549/797; 68.9%). Half reported adequate symptom control in the prior 2 weeks (389/797; 48.8%; OR=4.04; 95% CI (CI) 2.24 to 7.31). Having AR was associated with worse overall health status (7.4 vs 8.4, mean difference (least squares mean difference (LSMD))=−0.99; 95% CI −1.18 to −0.79), fewer days being happy (22.2 vs 25.9, LSMD=−3.68; 95% CI −4.82 to −2.54) and more days of poor physical (2.82 vs 0.78, LSMD=2.04; 95% CI 1.61 to 2.47) and emotional (2.14 vs 0.67, LSMD=1.47; 95% CI 1.02 to −1.92) health compared with not having AR. All of these outcomes were significantly (p<0.05) worse in children who reported inadequate symptom control. Having AR negatively impacted on schoolwork, sleep and other activities, and increased the likelihood of having comorbidities.Conclusion The parent-perceived burden of AR in Australian children is high and it impacts many areas of day-to-day living. Inadequate symptom control is a key driver of the extent of this impact. Opportunities to optimise the management of AR in children include the adoption of self-assessment tools to gauge and monitor adequacy of symptom control.
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spelling doaj-art-77e21a9e47f342f0a8d5bf72c01de3542024-11-27T00:30:12ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-11-01101110.1136/bmjopen-2020-038870Impact of allergic rhinitis on the day-to-day lives of children: insights from an Australian cross-sectional studyMichael Abramson0Peter Smith1David B Price2Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich3Charlotte Mary Hespe4Menai Johnson5Rodney Stosic6School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaInstitute for Work and Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada1 Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute, Singapore1 Quality Use of Respiratory Medicines, Clinical Management, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Glebe, New South Wales, Australia10 School of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaHead of Central Medical Operations, Real World Clinical Evidence, Sanofi Australia/New Zealand, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaFormerly Head of Medical Affairs, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaStudy design and objective Cross-sectional, observational survey to describe the impact of allergic rhinitis (AR) on Australian children (2 to 15 years).Methods Participants (n=1541), parents of children aged 2 to 15 years, provided information on behalf of themselves and one eligible child in their household using a custom-built online questionnaire. Children were allocated to case (AR) or control (No AR) analysis groups based on a validated screening questionnaire.Statistical methods The study sample was stratified on age: primary analysis population (6 to 15 years, n=1111; AR=797, No AR=314); exploratory population (2 to 5 years). The primary endpoint, parent-perceived burden, was quantified using a validated measure of health status and analysed via comparison of means.Results The majority of AR cases were treated (730/797; 90.3%) and classified as having moderate-severe, intermittent AR (549/797; 68.9%). Half reported adequate symptom control in the prior 2 weeks (389/797; 48.8%; OR=4.04; 95% CI (CI) 2.24 to 7.31). Having AR was associated with worse overall health status (7.4 vs 8.4, mean difference (least squares mean difference (LSMD))=−0.99; 95% CI −1.18 to −0.79), fewer days being happy (22.2 vs 25.9, LSMD=−3.68; 95% CI −4.82 to −2.54) and more days of poor physical (2.82 vs 0.78, LSMD=2.04; 95% CI 1.61 to 2.47) and emotional (2.14 vs 0.67, LSMD=1.47; 95% CI 1.02 to −1.92) health compared with not having AR. All of these outcomes were significantly (p<0.05) worse in children who reported inadequate symptom control. Having AR negatively impacted on schoolwork, sleep and other activities, and increased the likelihood of having comorbidities.Conclusion The parent-perceived burden of AR in Australian children is high and it impacts many areas of day-to-day living. Inadequate symptom control is a key driver of the extent of this impact. Opportunities to optimise the management of AR in children include the adoption of self-assessment tools to gauge and monitor adequacy of symptom control.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e038870.full
spellingShingle Michael Abramson
Peter Smith
David B Price
Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich
Charlotte Mary Hespe
Menai Johnson
Rodney Stosic
Impact of allergic rhinitis on the day-to-day lives of children: insights from an Australian cross-sectional study
BMJ Open
title Impact of allergic rhinitis on the day-to-day lives of children: insights from an Australian cross-sectional study
title_full Impact of allergic rhinitis on the day-to-day lives of children: insights from an Australian cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Impact of allergic rhinitis on the day-to-day lives of children: insights from an Australian cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Impact of allergic rhinitis on the day-to-day lives of children: insights from an Australian cross-sectional study
title_short Impact of allergic rhinitis on the day-to-day lives of children: insights from an Australian cross-sectional study
title_sort impact of allergic rhinitis on the day to day lives of children insights from an australian cross sectional study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e038870.full
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