Helping African American children self-manage asthma: the importance of self-efficacy

Asthma is the leading cause of chronic illness among children in the United States, with a disproportionately higher incidence among minority children. In an attempt to increase understanding of the factors that may influence self-management of chronic disease, the study examined the relationship between self-efficacy belief and asthma self-management in urban African American children.

Using a descriptive correlational research design, the participants (81 African American children between 7 and 12 years old) completed the Asthma Inventory for Children (AIC), which measured asthma self-management behaviors, and Asthma Belief Survey (ABS), which measured asthma self-efficacy.

Results of this study demonstrated a statistically positive correlation (p < .01, r = .53) between the child's asthma self-management and the child's self-efficacy belief toward his or her asthma. The mean item scores for the AIC, which measures the number of asthma management behaviors utilized by the participants, ranged from 1.88 to 5.00 with a mean of 3.69 and a standard deviation of 0.59. The mean scores of the ABS, which measures the level of self-efficacy beliefs for asthma management among the participants, ranged from 1.73 to 5.00 with a standard deviation of 0.58.

In chronic illness such as asthma, self-management is key to the long-range personal, academic, and professional success of children and adults with such conditions. Implications are drawn for the preparation of health care providers, teachers, and counselors who work with school-age children with asthma.