Parents' specific concerns about daily asthma medications for children

Specific concerns from 706 parents regarding their children's (M age = 8.0, SD = 3.9) use of daily asthma medications were systematically identified and organized. 270 (38.2%) of 706 parents expressed a total of 470 concerns (M = 1.74, SD = 0.93; Range 1-5), including concerns about side effects (48.9%; e.g., growth retardation); aspects of the regimen (29.3%; e.g., medication amount); and "steroid" use (10.4%). Independent predictors of parental concern included use of inhaled corticosteroids (OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.07-2.40), nasal corticosteroids (OR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.21-2.38), and alternative therapies (OR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.32-2.56). Providers should be prepared to address a wide range of medication concerns, especially those related to side effects.