Results
Questionnaires were sent by post to the households of the 58 CYP identified. 20 questionnaires completed by parents, and 14 questionnaires completed by CYP were returned. The median age of CYP was 11 years (range 4 to 18), 39 of 58 were males. A summary of the responses to each question are presented in table 1 and table 2 (online supplement)
Parental Questionnaire
The majority of parents 17/20 (85%) were worried about their child having an asthma attack during the pandemic, with a particular contributory factor being concerns around access to normal healthcare services. Indeed, 16/20 (80%) were concerned about accessing to GP services, 15/20 (75%) were concerned about accessing hospital services and 14/20 (70%) were concerned about accessing regular prescriptions.
Parents reported that the emotional wellbeing of their child was impacting asthma symptoms. The main contributory influences affecting asthma control were social distancing 14/20 (70%), worries about school work 12/20 (60%), and their child’s anxiety around COVID-19 12/20 (60%).
Parents’ perception of the emotional welling being of their children was explored in further detail. 14/20 (70%) reported observing feelings of sadness and irritability in their child, and 16/20 (80%) observed increased levels of anxiety and lack of concentration. Changes in physical behaviors reflective of emotional changes were also reported; low energy 18/20 (90%), restlessness 17/20 (85%) and difficulty in sleeping 12/20 (60%).
Children’s Questionnaire
The majority of CYP 9/14 (64%) were worried about an asthma attack during the pandemic. Accessing healthcare during an attack was of concern with 11/14 (78%) worried about the prospect of a hospital visit. In contrast to their parents only 4/14 (28%) were concerned about accessing regular prescriptions.
In common with their parents, CYP reported that their emotional wellbeing had influenced asthma symptoms. Factors reported to be impacting symptoms included social distancing 7/14 (50%), and concerns regarding school work 7/14 (50%). A minority 4/14 (29%) felt that concerns regarding COVID-19 had influenced their asthma symptoms.
The emotional wellbeing of the CYP was explored in further detail. In common with their parents the majority of CYP reported feelings of irritability 11/14 (78%), anxiety 9/14 (64%), and difficulty with concentration 10/14 (71%). Changes in physical behaviors reflective of emotional changes were also reported, 9/14 (64%) felt restless, and 7/14 (50%) reported difficulty with sleeping.