Parent Experiences With Electronic Medication Monitoring in Pediatric Asthma Management: Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Digital Health Interventions
• Asthma Management

Background:

• Electronic medication monitoring (EMM) offers a digital approach to tracking medication adherence.
• Existing EMM studies in pediatric asthma are limited in duration or scope.
• Understanding parent experiences is crucial for optimizing EMM interventions in children with asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore parents'/caregivers' experiences with a 12-month EMM-enhanced intervention for pediatric asthma management.
• To gather recommendations for improving future EMM interventions from parents' perspectives.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving semistructured interviews with 20 parents of children (aged 4-12 years) with asthma.
• Parents were recruited from the intervention arm of a multicomponent health intervention utilizing Bluetooth-enabled inhaler sensors.
• Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive, constant comparative methods.

Main Results:

• Parents reported the 12-month EMM intervention was compatible with family lifestyles and positively impacted asthma management.
• The intervention enhanced children's engagement in their own asthma care and positively affected health outcomes.
• Key themes included lifestyle compatibility, management impact, emotional effects, child engagement, and design recommendations, with some noting technology and multi-caregiver challenges.

Conclusions:

• The EMM intervention was generally viewed positively by parents for pediatric asthma management.
• Future iterations require addressing technological challenges, particularly in multi-caregiver households.
• Consideration of socioeconomic factors and access to resources is vital for equitable adoption of digital health tools in pediatric asthma care.