Exercise-induced asthma in adolescents: challenges for physical education teachers

Asthma is the most common chronic medical condition that school-teachers are likely to encounter among their pupils. This study aimed to identify the needs of physical education teachers in dealing with adolescents with exercise-induced asthma, study their self-reported knowledge of asthma and identify future topics for education about exercise-induced asthma. A questionnaire was drawn up on the basis of the requirements that had emerged in the course of interviews with 18 physical education teachers. One hundred and six physical education teachers at secondary schools in the city of Trondheim and colleges in Sør-Trøndelag County in Norway answered the questionnaire (65% response rate). Eighty-two physical education teachers (78.1%) had pupils with asthma in their sports classes, and 89.4% answered positively regarding their need for advice on teaching pupils with asthma. Twenty-seven (25.9%) reported that they had sufficient knowledge to teach adolescents with asthma. Topics about asthma, its management and activities suitable for asthmatics were given high priority by the teachers.