Using theatre to transform understanding and attitudes about asthma in African adolescents

Asthma is a common non-communicable disease in children and adolescents. In the Global South, many children are either undiagnosed or under-treated. Health education through theatre has emerged as an innovative and effective method for disseminating health-related information in Africa for conditions such as HIV/AIDS. In this study, we therefore aimed to assess the impact of an asthma awareness theatre, which was adapted from a UK-based play by local theatre groups in six sub-Saharan African countries. This theatre aimed to improve asthma knowledge, and attitudes, dispel myths, and reduce stigma around asthma among adolescents. The study employed a pre-post design, using questionnaires to assess changes in asthma knowledge before and after the theatre, testing for statistically significant changes using Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests. Adolescents (11-17 years) in Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe were recruited (n = 3534) through local schools. Nearly all participants stated that the performance was fun (90.7%) and informative (98.1%). Asthma knowledge significantly improved (P < 0.01), including the belief that asthma is not contagious, which rose from 59.7% before to 78.3% after the theatre. To improve health-seeking behaviour and address under-diagnosis and undertreatment of asthma in sub-Saharan African societies, educating young people about asthma and reducing stigma around the condition is of particular importance. We conclude that theatre is an effective way to educate adolescents about asthma at scale across societies in Africa.