Abstract
PurposeThis study explored self-management in the context of asthma experiences of school-age children and the factors that facilitate asthma self-management.Design/methodology/approachThis is qualitative research used in-depth interviews. Purposive sampling was employed to select 15 school-age children with asthma attending the outpatient pulmonary department at university hospital in Thailand. Semistructured in-depth individual interviews were conducted. which were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was used to analyze the data.FindingsTwo major themes emerged from this study: (1) perspectives on managing asthma and (2) facilitators in asthma self-management. Four subthemes emerged from the first major theme related to views on managing asthma: (1) emphasizing use of an inhaler for asthma, (2) self-monitoring for symptom, (3) difficulties with the daily regimens and (4) family support on asthma self-management. Two subthemes emerged from the second major theme related to facilitators in asthma self-management: (1) confidence in performing asthma care behaviors and (2) asthma communication.Originality/valueThis study described strategies that support asthma management of children in Thailand and provided insight into factors that influence asthma self-management. Findings will inform the development of future self-management interventions for school-age children with asthma.
Highlights
An estimated 300 million people suffer from asthma around the world, a number predicted to surpass 400 million by 2025 [1]
The semistructured in-depth interview guide included nine open-ended questions such as “How do you feel about having this disease?”, “What kinds of things do you do for good health?”, “What kind of help do you need from your family?”, and “What do you have to do to prevent asthma attacks?” The interview questions were tested and verified by three experts including family nurses and nursing instructors with self-management expertise
The pretesting was conducted with three school-age children with asthma similar to the study target population in order to test whether the interview guide includes the key concepts being investigated and was understood by the participants
Summary
An estimated 300 million people suffer from asthma around the world, a number predicted to surpass 400 million by 2025 [1]. In most nations, including Thailand, asthma continues to be a substantial health issue. Childhood asthma is a predominant chronic disease [2] with 14% of the world’s children suffering from asthmatic symptoms [1]. Journal of Health Research Vol 35 No 3, 2021 pp. Published in the Journal of Health Research. The full terms of this license may be seen at http:// creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
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