Children with chronic disease and extracurricular activities: training needs

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Health Education

Background:

• Increasing numbers of children live with chronic diseases.
• Challenges persist for supervisors of extracurricular activities despite the Personalised Care Project (PCP).

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the accessibility and usefulness of information from the Personalised Care Project (PCP).
• To assess the value of complementary support for supervisors of children with chronic diseases.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was developed based on expert-identified key messages for common chronic diseases.
• The questionnaire was distributed to extracurricular activity supervisors in three districts.
• Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on the collected data.

Main Results:

• 55 supervisors participated; 54.5% had supervised children with chronic diseases.
• 82% found PCP information helpful, but 81% desired more information.
• 98% indicated a need for additional support, focusing on recognition, decision-making, and prevention skills.

Conclusions:

• The Personalised Care Project (PCP) is valuable, but supervisors require better preparation.
• There is a significant need for training to enhance supervisor capacity in managing children with chronic diseases.
• Training is essential to ensure the safety of children with chronic diseases in extracurricular settings.