Empowering parents through asthma education

Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children and has a significant impact on children and their families. Asthma management requires a multi-faceted approach, including an effective educational component. The purpose of this pilot study was to compare outcomes for parents who participated in empowering and traditional approaches to asthma education. Specific outcomes that were examined included (a) knowledge, (b) sense of control, (c) ability to make decisions, and (d) ability to provide care. The sample consisted of 57 families who participated in a multi-session educational intervention. Twenty-nine families participated in the empowering approach; the remaining 28 families received the traditional approach. Data were collected before, immediately after, and 6 months following the educational intervention. Significant differences were found regarding sense of control, ability to make decisions, and ability to provide care for parents who participated in the empowering approach. Both approaches resulted in increased knowledge. These findings have implications for asthma education and for the education of health professionals.