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Establishment and evaluation of a preschool asthma programme: a pilot study
B Matthews1, A Dickinson, F Cram
1Adolescent and Family Service, Hutt Valley Health.
Insights
Preschool children can learn asthma self-management skills. A new program improved knowledge, confidence, and asthma control in young children and their families, demonstrating its value.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Asthma is a significant health concern for preschool children in New Zealand.
- Existing asthma self-management programs have primarily targeted older children and adults, with limited application for preschoolers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish and evaluate a Preschool Asthma Programme.
- To determine if the program enhances parents' and children's knowledge, confidence, and skills in asthma management.
- To assess the program's impact on asthma control in preschool children.
Main Methods:
- A Preschool Asthma Programme was implemented with 15 families having children aged 3.5-5 years with moderate to severe asthma.
- Five families participated in each of the three program variations.
- Formative and outcome evaluations were used to assess program effectiveness.
Main Results:
- The program successfully increased parents' and children's knowledge and skills in asthma management.
- Parental confidence in managing their child's asthma and their child's ability to self-manage improved significantly.
- Participation correlated with enhanced lung function, better asthma control, and increased preschool attendance.
- Program success was higher for children over four years old with suboptimal asthma control.
Conclusions:
- Preschool children are capable of learning and applying asthma self-management skills, challenging previous assumptions.
- A Preschool Asthma Programme serves as a valuable adjunct to conventional asthma care.
- The program demonstrates potential for improving asthma management outcomes in young children.
Abstract:
In New Zealand asthma has been recognised as a major health issue for preschool children and their families (Public Health Commission, 1995). While nurses have been involved with Asthma Self management programmes which have improved the outcomes for older children and adults (Garret, Kolbe, Richards, Whitlock & Rea, 1995: Mitchell, Ferguson & Norwood, 1986) self management programmes have rarely been used for preschool children. The aims of the study were to establish a Preschool Asthma Programme and evaluate whether it would enable parents and their children to increase their knowledge, confidence and skills in asthma management, while improving asthma control. Fifteen families with children aged between three and a half and five years with moderate and severe asthma participated; five families in each of the three programmes offered. The programmes were evaluated using both formative and outcome evaluation. Results indicated that the programme increased knowledge and changes in asthma management by parents and children and increased the confidence of parents in both their own ability, and that of their child, to manage asthma. Seven parents and seven children on the programme achieved positive change in all the self management criteria considered and six parents and two children made changes in most of them. Participation in the programme was associated with improved lung function, asthma control and preschool attendance. The programme was more successful if the child was over four years old and had suboptimal asthma control. It is concluded that, contrary to what has previously been thought, preschool children can be taught self management skills. There is evidence that a Preschool Asthma Programme is a useful addition to the conventional management and can result in improvements in asthma management.