Evaluation of the Impact of Environmental Changes on Asthma Control in Children, Access to Health Care, and Treatment Adherence in Early COVID-19 Lockdown

Abstract

Objective: During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, lockdown measures and difficulties in accessing healthcare have impacted asthma management in children. This study aimed to determine the evaluation of the impact of environmental changes on asthma control in children, access to health care, and treatment adherence in early coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown.

Materials and Methods: The study included children with asthma aged 6-11 years. A survey form was administered to the patients who visited the pediatric allergy outpatient clinic between June 1 and 30, 2020. The survey acquired demographic information about the children and their families as well as information about their asthma symptoms, how they reached healthcare services, and adherence. The childhood asthma control test was administered. The P values < .05 were considered significant.

Results: The study included a total of 123 children (female/male : 48/75) with a mean age of 8.4 +/- 1.9 years. According to the mothers' self-report, it was found that 78% of the patients were not able to follow-up routinely, 19.5% were non-adherence to treatment, and 16.2% were poorly controlled asthma. It was found that, based on childhood asthma control test scores, asthma control was better during the pandemic lockdown period (P = .001). Asthma symptoms were better in 41.5% of the patients compared to the previous months and in 53.7% compared to the same period last year.

Conclusion: Our study found that the children's asthma was controlled although most of them did not have their follow-up visits, and poorly controlled asthma was higher in older children in early coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown.