Breathing Together: Children Co-constructing Asthma Self-Management in the United States

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Chronic Illness Management
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Current pediatric asthma management in the U.S. prioritizes caregivers.
• This caregiver-centric model positions children as passive recipients of health knowledge and practices.
• Existing approaches create a gap in understanding children's active roles in managing their chronic condition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore pediatric asthma management by centering children's perspectives, rather than caregivers'.
• To address the conceptual gap regarding children's inclusion and agency in chronic illness self-management.
• To investigate how children actively participate in their asthma care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving 41 caregivers, 24 children, and 12 healthcare providers.
• Data collected from asthma management contexts in St. Louis, Missouri, and Gainesville, Florida.
• Children were prompted to demonstrate their asthma management practices.

Main Results:

• Children actively co-construct their health practices related to asthma management.
• Children's asthma management occurs within interconnected systems of care.
• Children's health practices are influenced by the structural constraints of childhood.

Conclusions:

• Shifting the focus to children reveals their active role in pediatric asthma management.
• Children are not merely passive recipients but active agents in their healthcare.
• Future research and practice should incorporate children's perspectives for more inclusive chronic illness management.