Curricular intervention increases adolescents' knowledge about asthma: a randomized trial.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Health Education
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Asthma knowledge is crucial for adolescents to manage their condition effectively.
• Educational interventions can bridge knowledge gaps regarding asthma management and triggers.
• Public schools provide a vital setting for health education initiatives targeting adolescents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a curriculum-based intervention on asthma knowledge among adolescents.
• To compare knowledge acquisition between students receiving asthma education and those with a standard curriculum.
• To evaluate long-term retention of asthma knowledge post-intervention.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving asthmatic and non-asthmatic adolescents.
• Intervention group (IG) received asthma-specific curriculum content; control group (CG) received traditional curriculum.
• Knowledge assessed via questionnaire at baseline, 90 days, and 540 days using mixed linear models.

Main Results:

• Initial scores indicated low baseline knowledge about asthma, its treatment, and myths in both groups.
• The IG demonstrated significantly higher overall asthma knowledge post-intervention (mean score 15.5/20 vs. CG).
• The IG showed improved knowledge of asthma treatment and debunked myths more effectively than the CG.

Conclusions:

• Integrating asthma education into the school curriculum effectively enhances adolescent knowledge.
• The intervention led to a substantial increase in understanding asthma, particularly regarding treatment and misconceptions.
• Curricular interventions are a promising strategy for improving asthma health literacy in school-aged populations.