Asthma control perception by caregivers: Quality of life and spirometric findings among children

Childhood asthma remains a major chronic respiratory disorder and misperception of disease control by caregivers contributes to suboptimal management and impaired quality of life. Therefore, it is of interest to assess caregiver perception of asthma control and examined its association with spirometric findings and quality-of-life scores among children aged 6-14 years. Caregivers completed a structured questionnaire and children underwent spirometry to measure FEV₁, FVC and FEV₁/FVC ratio according to standard guidelines. Although 46% of caregivers perceived asthma as well controlled, 56% of children demonstrated obstructive patterns on spirometry, with a significant association between perception and lung function (χ²=11.63, p=0.003). Spirometry showed strong positive correlations with quality-of-life scores (r=0.67, p<0.01), indicating that objective assessment combined with caregiver education is essential for optimal pediatric asthma management.