Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Family Medicine

Asthma represents the commonest chronic illness of childhood (Albehandy et al., 2015b). It is also considered a leading cause for childhood morbidity as measured by school absences, visits, and hospitalizations (Zhao et al., 2013). From the prospective of both patient and society, the cost of not treating asthma is higher than the cost of asthma treatment (Pedersen et al., 2011). The prevalence of asthma and allergies is increasing in both western and developing countries (Leung et al., 2012). The prevalence of asthma among Egyptian children aged 3-15 years was estimated to be 8.2% (Abdallah et al., 2012). Asthma is a chronic disease, which can be controlled but not cured. (National asthma council australia, 2015). The primary goal of asthma management is to achieve and maintain control of the disease in order to prevent exacerbation and reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality (Aalderen, 2012). Researchers agree that healthcare must focus on quality of life (QOL). This is particularly important in patients with chronic conditions where the treatment is directed toward symptom control rather than cure, QOL instruments measure the impact of disease on a patient's daily activities and life Williams and Williams, 2003

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