TABLE 3.
Mean±sd, factor loadings and the percentage of participants responding “very difficult” or “very, very difficult” to each of the 16 items of the Severe Asthma Questionnaire
| Item | Mean±sd# | Patients responding “very difficult” or “very, very difficult” % | Factor loading |
| 1. My social life. For example, visiting friends, walking with friends, talking with friends, going to bars/restaurants, and parties. | 4.11±1.94 | 25.2 | 0.88 |
| 2. My personal life. For example, washing, dressing, looking after myself, love life. | 4.98±1.98 | 15.0 | 0.81 |
| 3. My leisure activities. For example, walking for pleasure, sports, exercise, travelling, taking vacations. | 3.54±1.95 | 37.5 | 0.84 |
| 4. My jobs around the house. For example, housework, shopping, home maintenance, gardening. | 3.96±1.92 | 27.2 | 0.88 |
| 5. My work or education. For example, missing days, can't do all I want to do. | 4.78±2.64 | 25.7 | 0.6 |
| 6. My family life – how it affects me. For example, caring for children, family responsibilities. | 4.59±2 | 19.6 | 0.87 |
| 7. My family life – how it affects others. For example, others taking time off work, problems with childcare, family members becoming upset. | 4.74±2.1 | 18.3 | 0.82 |
| 8. Depression. For example, feeling sad, fed up, blue. | 4.05±1.98 | 29.0 | 0.81 |
| 9. Irritable. For example, snap at people, get angrier than I should. | 4.06±1.99 | 27.8 | 0.77 |
| 10. Anxiety in general. For example, worry about things, always on edge. | 4.03±2.1 | 29.7 | 0.75 |
| 11. Worry that asthma may get worse. For example, medicines no longer help, more frequent attacks. | 3.7±2.04 | 39.2 | 0.71 |
| 12. Worry about long-term side effects of medicines. For example, worry about cataracts, diabetes, bone fracture. | 3.92±2.12 | 33.8 | 0.66 |
| 13. Getting tired. For example, feeling tired for no reason, waking in the morning feeling tired. | 3.16±1.9 | 43.3 | 0.79 |
| 14. Problems at night. For example, difficulty going to sleep, being woken very easily, waking often at night. | 3.5±1.99 | 39.2 | 0.79 |
| 15. The way I look. For example, my weight, my skin bruises easily, using medicines in public, other people judging me | 3.65±2.17 | 39.9 | 0.68 |
| 16. Problems with food. For example, I find I get very hungry, I just can't stop eating, stomach problems (e.g. pain, bloating, etc.) | 4.27±2.07 | 26.8 | 0.67 |
#: interpretation of mean in relation to quality of life, 1=very, very difficult (worst possible); 2=very difficult; 3=difficult; 4=moderately difficult; 5=slightly difficult; 6=very slightly difficult (just noticeable); 7=no problem.