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Randomized controlled trial of a teacher-led asthma education program
Richard L Henry1, Peter G Gibson, Graham V Vimpani
1School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, c/o Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia. R.Henry@unsw.edu.au
Pediatric Pulmonology
|February 4, 2005
Summary
A school-based asthma education program improved student knowledge, attitudes, and quality of life. The program also enhanced teacher knowledge and was sustained long-term, demonstrating its effectiveness in schools.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Education
- Pediatric Asthma Management
Background:
- Asthma education programs in schools are crucial for managing the condition among students.
- Assessing the direct, indirect, and sustainable impacts of such programs is essential for effective implementation.
- Previous research has not fully evaluated the long-term sustainability and broader school policy implications of asthma education initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the direct impact of a school-based asthma education program on student knowledge, attitudes, and quality of life.
- To assess the indirect effects on teacher knowledge, attitudes, and school asthma policies.
- To determine the program's sustainability in schools after the withdrawal of research resources.
Main Methods:
- A controlled trial involving 17 intervention and 15 control schools.
- Delivery of a three-lesson asthma education package by teachers within the Personal Development/Health/Physical Education (PD/H/PE) curriculum.
- Assessment of student and teacher knowledge, attitudes, and student quality of life at baseline and follow-up, with long-term sustainability assessed 5 years post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Students in intervention schools showed significant improvements in asthma knowledge, tolerance, internal control, and reduced belief in chance (P < 0.05).
- Students from intervention schools experienced significant improvements in overall quality of life (P = 0.003).
- Teachers in intervention schools demonstrated significant knowledge gains (P < 0.0001), and intervention schools were more likely to seek further asthma education (P < 0.01).
Conclusions:
- The teacher-led asthma education program yielded direct benefits for students' asthma knowledge, attitudes, and quality of life.
- The program had indirect positive effects on teacher knowledge and school engagement with asthma education.
- The 'Living With Asthma' program demonstrated high sustainability, with 71% of intervention schools continuing its delivery 5 years later and widespread adoption in the Hunter Region.