Parental asthma knowledge: its association with readmission of children to hospital.

Abstract

To assess whether poor parental knowledge about asthma was a risk factor for readmission of their children to hospital. Parents of children who were admitted to the paediatric facility at Newcastle Mater and John Hunter Hospitals were administered a previously validated asthma knowledge questionnaire with a maximum possible score of 31. The mean parental knowledge scores for three groups of children were determined: those with a previous diagnosis of asthma being readmitted to hospital (170 children, mean score 18.3); those with a previous diagnosis of asthma being admitted for the first time (114 children, mean score 17.2); and children being admitted with their first attack of asthma (65 children, mean score 15.6). There was a significant difference in parental asthma knowledge between the first and third group (P < 0.001) but not between the first and second group. A linear regression model with knowledge score as an outcome found that increased knowledge was associated with previously diagnosed asthma, higher parental occupation and no smoker in the home. Knowledge was poor in all groups. Readmission rate was related to the severity of the child's asthma.