Spirometry Monitoring and Asthma Responsibility in Kids (SMARt-Kids): A Mixed-Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Digital Health
• Asthma Management

Background:

• Asthma impacts millions of U.S. children, necessitating effective home monitoring solutions.
• Research on home spirometry use in pediatric populations is limited.
• Persistent asthma in school-aged children requires ongoing management and monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of home spirometry in school-aged children with persistent asthma.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to home spirometry use in pediatric asthma management.
• To assess the perceived responsibility for asthma management when using home spirometry.

Main Methods:

• Convergent mixed-methods design.
• Involved 11 parent-child dyads (children aged 7-11) from a prior randomized controlled trial (NCT04908384).
• Assessed feasibility, acceptability, usability, and management responsibility.

Main Results:

• Home spirometry was found to be feasible and acceptable by both parents and children.
• Parents appreciated real-time lung function tracking but noted usability and technological challenges.
• While scores suggested shared management, interviews indicated parents primarily drove home spirometry use.

Conclusions:

• Home spirometry is a viable and acceptable tool for families managing childhood asthma.
• Technological barriers can hinder effective use of home spirometry devices.
• Family-centered education and integration into routine care are recommended to optimize home spirometry for early asthma control detection.