One-session asthma curriculum for all K-8th grade students: impact on knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy

Schools are critical places to support children with asthma. Few school-based interventions focus on classmates without asthma, who can influence peers' asthma self-management.

To describe a one-session asthma curriculum for all Kindergarten-8th grade students and evaluate impact on knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy.

In collaboration with three Chicago schools, we adapted and implemented a one-session asthma curriculum for K-8th grades. Students completed a post-session survey to assess asthma knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy. Pearson's Chi-squared tests analyzed differences between grades and student-reported asthma diagnosis.

In total, 603 students participated in a session, of which 485 completed the survey; 19% reported having asthma. Most students correctly answered knowledge questions on pathophysiology (82%), transmission (79%), symptoms (65%), triggers (65%), medication use (90%), and episode management (51%). More older students understood pathophysiology (85% vs. 72%, p = 0.002), medication use (93% vs. 83%, p = 0.002), and episode management (55% vs. 31%, p < 0.001), vs. younger students. Of all students, 83% indicated positive attitudes about asthma care and 49% about physical activity participation, with differences based on grade (asthma care: older 86% vs. younger 74%, p = 0.002) and diagnosis (physical activity participation: asthma 63% vs. no asthma 45%, p = 0.002). Most students indicated positive self-efficacy to help classmates with asthma episodes (74%), with more younger students doing so than older students (83% vs. 71%, p = 0.01).

Students had high asthma knowledge and self-efficacy after a one-session all-student asthma curriculum; attitudes were mixed. School-based asthma education is feasible and has positive outcomes for all K-8th grade students.