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Parents' perceptions towards their child's use of inhaled medications for asthma therapy
Insights
Many parents hesitate about using inhalers for childhood asthma, preferring oral medications due to concerns about dependence and side effects. Addressing these perceptions is key for effective asthma management and education programs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Clinical Pharmacy
Background:
- Patient adherence to asthma medication is crucial for effective disease management.
- Understanding parental perceptions of asthma therapies is vital for improving treatment compliance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate parental perceptions regarding their children's use of inhaled asthma medications.
- To identify parental concerns influencing the choice between inhaled and oral asthma therapies.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire-based interview study was conducted.
- 210 parents of asthmatic children were interviewed at a pediatric hospital.
Main Results:
- 36% of parents expressed opposition to inhaler therapy or a preference for oral medications.
- Key concerns included fear of dependence, side effects, overdosage, and child's aversion to inhalers.
- A significant portion of parents believed inhalers were only for severe asthma cases.
Conclusions:
- A substantial number of parents harbor reservations about using inhalers for asthma treatment.
- Parental concerns regarding inhaled asthma medications must be addressed in educational strategies.
- Effective asthma education programs should consider and mitigate parental anxieties about inhaler therapy.
Objective:
Understanding patients' and their parents' perceptions towards asthma medication is important in developing strategies to ensure patient compliance. In this study, parents' perceptions towards their children's use of inhaled medication for asthma treatment were evaluated.
Methodology:
A questionnaire was administered by interviewing parents of 210 asthmatic children attending the Department of Paediatrics, National University Hospital.
Results:
Our results showed that 76/210 (36%) of parents either felt opposed to inhaler therapy and/or preferred oral medications. The main reasons for their reluctance to use inhalers were related to fear of dependence, side effects and overdosage, and the child's dislike for inhalers. A third of these parents felt that inhalers were only indicated for very severe asthma.
Conclusions:
We conclude that a significant proportion of parents have reservations regarding the use of inhalers for the treatment of asthma. These factors should be taken into consideration when planning an effective asthma education programme.