In-school asthma management and physical activity: children's perspectives

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Child Health
• Asthma Management

Background:

• Regular physical activity (PA) is vital for pediatric asthma management.
• In-school asthma management's impact on children's PA is understudied.
• Understanding children's perspectives is key to effective asthma care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore children's perceptions of how in-school asthma management affects their PA.
• To identify barriers to PA for children with asthma in school settings.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews conducted with 23 inner-city minority children (aged 8-10) with asthma.
• Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded for common themes until data saturation.
• Study conducted across 10 elementary schools in Bronx, New York.

Main Results:

• Most students experienced asthma symptoms during school PA.
• Common management strategies included sitting out, drinking water, or seeing the nurse.
• Students reported limited medication access and embarrassment/stigma around medication use.
• Lack of awareness or adherence to asthma action plans was noted.

Conclusions:

• In-school asthma management is often inadequate, leading to poor symptom control.
• Limited medication access and social stigma restrict children's participation in PA.
• Interventions must address these barriers to improve asthma care and promote PA.