Children With Asthma Miss More School

Millard, Mark; Johnson, Pauline T.; Hilton, Anna; Hart, Mary

doi:10.1378/chest.08-1642

Cited by 18 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 6 publications

(7 reference statements)

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“…A 2004 US study on the economic cost of asthma estimated the additional absence to be as high as 2.8 days per asthmatic child per year,4 whereas a 2002 study by Moonie et al 5 indicates a figure of approximately 1.3–1.5 days per child per year. However, other recent studies have found no effect 6 7. Research shows that the situation is complex, with absence potentially affected by a wide range of variables including the severity of asthma symptoms,5 8 the degree of compliance with medication regimens,9 social deprivation and low socioeconomic status10 11 and parenting styles 10…”

Section: Asthma and School Attendancementioning

confidence: 98%

More effective home heating reduces school absences for children with asthma

Free

Howden‐Chapman

Pierse

et al. 2009

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health

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Background New Zealand homes are underheated by international standards, with average indoor temperatures below the WHO recommended minimum of 188C. Research has highlighted the connection between low indoor temperatures and adverse health outcomes, including social functioning and psychological well-being. Both health effects and social effects can impact on school absence rates. The aim of this study was to determine whether more effective home heating affects school absence for children with asthma. Methods A single-blinded randomised controlled trial of heating intervention in 409 households containing an asthmatic child aged 6e12 years, where the previous heating was an open fire, plug-in electric heater or unflued gas heater. The intervention was the installation of a more effective heater of at least 6 kW before the winter of 2006 in half the houses. Demographic and health information was collected both before and after the intervention. Each child's school was contacted directly and term-by-term absence information for that child obtained for 2006 and previous years where available. Results Complete absence data were obtained for 269 out of 409 children. Compared with the control group, children in households receiving the intervention experienced on average 21% (p¼0.02) fewer days of absence after allowing for the effects of other factors. Conclusion More effective, non-indoor polluting heating reduces school absence for asthmatic children.

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Section: Asthma and School Attendancementioning

confidence: 98%

More effective home heating reduces school absences for children with asthma

Free

Howden‐Chapman

Pierse

et al. 2009

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health

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show abstract

“…Until now, many studies have reported that absenteeism is more frequent in students with asthma compared to nonasthmatic controls [5–7]. However, Millard et al examined the quantitative effect of asthma on school absenteeism in a sample including children with varying severity of asthma and reported that students with asthma miss no more school days than their classmates without asthma [8]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Presence of Asthma, the Use of Inhaled Steroids, and Parental Education Level Affect School Performance in Children

Tsakiris¹,

Iordanidou

Paraskakis

et al. 2013

BioMed Research International

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Objective. Childhood asthma is a frequent cause of absenteeism that affects school performance. We aimed to investigate the impact of asthma on absenteeism and school performance level of elementary and high school students. Methods. Data about sociodemographics, absenteeism, and academic achievement were obtained from 1539 students attending 98 schools in Greece. School performance was assessed for the last two years of school attendance using parents' and teachers' reports and grade point average promotion. Results. The mean of the days of absence of students with asthma was higher compared to the healthy students (6.2 ± 11.7 versus 0.3 ± 3.1, resp., P < 0.001). Students with reduced healthcare use presented less absenteeism than those with increased healthcare use for asthma (4.3 ± 8.6 versus 12.4 ± 17.0 days, resp., P < 0.001). Asthma and healthcare use for asthma accounted for an overall estimated variability in absence days of 13.8% and 9%, respectively. Absenteeism was associated with poor school performance for the last two years of school (P = 0.002) and with lower grade point promotion in elementary school students (P = 0.001) but not in high school students (P = 0.316). Higher level of parental education was associated with better school performance (P < 0.001). Asthma was associated with a decreased possibility for excellent performance (OR = 0.64, P = 0.049, 95%CI = 0.41–1.00) in elementary students. Students with asthma using inhalers were four times more likely to perform excellently in elementary school (OR = 4.3, P = 0.028, 95%CI = 1.17–15.95) than their asthmatic peers with alternative asthma treatments. Conclusions. Asthma and increased healthcare use enhance school absenteeism. Inhaled steroid use and the higher parental education level were the most important predicting factors for good school performance in elementary school asthmatic children.

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“…9,10 In contrast, students in schools with considerable health resources (e.g., full-time nurses, asthma continuing education programs, and asthma action plans) may miss no more school than students without asthma. 11 Therefore, schools have a vested interest in policies that promote an asthmafriendly environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Availability of Asthma Quick Relief Medication in Five Alabama School Systems

Gerald¹,

Stroupe

McClure

et al. 2012

Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology

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Objectives: This paper documents individual asthma action plan presence and quick relief medication (albuterol) availability for elementary students enrolled in five Alabama school systems. Patients and Methods: Data were obtained during baseline data collection (fall 2005) of a school-based supervised asthma medication trial. All students attended 1 of 36 participating elementary schools across five school systems in Jefferson County, Alabama. In addition, they had to have physician-diagnosed asthma requiring daily controller medication. Each school system had its own superintendent and elected school board. Asthma action plan presence and albuterol availability was confirmed by study personnel. Asthma action plans had to contain daily and acute asthma management instructions. Predictors of asthma action plan presence and albuterol availability were also investigated. Associations between albuterol availability and self-reported characteristics including health care utilization prior to study enrollment and outcomes during the study baseline period were also investigated. Results: Enrolled students had a mean (SD) age of 11.0 (2.1) years, 91% were African American, and 79% had moderate persistent asthma. No student had a complete asthma action plan on file and only 14% had albuterol physically available at school. Albuterol availability was not predicted by gender, race, insurance status, secondhand smoke exposure, need for pre-exercise albuterol, asthma severity, or self-reported health care utilization prior to study enrollment. Albuterol availability did not predict school absences, red/yellow peak flow recordings, or medication adherence during the study's baseline period. Conclusion: Despite policies permitting students to possess albuterol, few elementary students across five independent school systems in Alabama actually had it readily available at school.

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Children With Asthma Miss More School

Cited by 18 publications

References 6 publications

More effective home heating reduces school absences for children with asthma

More effective home heating reduces school absences for children with asthma

The Presence of Asthma, the Use of Inhaled Steroids, and Parental Education Level Affect School Performance in Children

Availability of Asthma Quick Relief Medication in Five Alabama School Systems

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