Parents' asthma information needs and preferences for school-based asthma support

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
• Public Health
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Asthma is a prevalent chronic respiratory condition in children.
• Effective asthma management requires collaboration between families, schools, and healthcare providers.
• Current school-based asthma support in Saudi Arabia may not adequately meet parental needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore parents' and carers' needs and preferences for school-based asthma support.
• To identify challenges and gaps in current asthma management within Saudi primary schools.
• To inform the development of improved asthma support programs in educational settings.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews with parents of children with asthma.
• Convenience sampling, supplemented by snowballing and social networks, recruited participants from Saudi primary schools.
• Thematic analysis of transcribed and translated interview data using a latent content analysis approach.

Main Results:

• Six key themes emerged, categorized into general asthma management, school-specific issues, and communication dissatisfaction.
• Parents expressed concerns regarding school environments and confidence in school staff's ability to manage childhood asthma.
• Advocacy for staff training and enhanced school community engagement to improve asthma care.

Conclusions:

• A significant need exists for comprehensive school-based asthma support in Saudi primary schools.
• Implementation of asthma-related policies, procedures, and targeted education (including first aid) is recommended.
• Addressing parental concerns can lead to better asthma outcomes for students.