Comparative Effectiveness on Cognitive Asthma Outcomes of the SHARP Academic Asthma Health Education and Counseling Program and a Non‐Academic Program

Abstract

Asthma morbidity and mortality is higher among older school-age children and early adolescents than other age groups across the lifespan. NIH recommended expanding asthma education to schools and community settings to meet cognitive outcomes that have an impact on morbidity and mortality. Guided by the acceptance of asthma model, an evidence-guided, comprehensive school-based academic health education and counseling program, Staying Healthy—Asthma Responsible & Prepared™ (SHARP), was developed. The program complements existing school curricula by integrating biology, psychology, and sociology content with related spelling, math, and reading and writing assignments. Feasibility, benefits, and efficacy have been established. We compared the effectiveness of SHARP to a non-academic program, Open Airways for Schools, in improving asthma knowledge and reasoning about symptom management. A two-group, cluster-randomized, single-blinded design was used with a sample of 205 students in grades 4–5 with asthma and their caregivers. Schools were matched prior to randomization. The unit of analysis was the student. Certified elementary school teachers delivered the programs during instructional time. Data were collected from student/caregiver dyads at baseline and at 1, 12, and 24 months after the intervention. In multilevel modeling, students enrolled in the academic SHARP program demonstrated significant (p<.001) improvement in asthma knowledge and reasoning over students enrolled in the non-academic program. Knowledge advantages were retained at 24 months. Findings support delivery in schools of the SHARP academic health education program for students with asthma.

Information Needs and Resources and Self-Management Challenges of Parents Caring for a Child with Asthma in China

“…Parental knowledge of asthma and information resources are the focus of this assessment. Knowledge of asthma is defined as information pertinent to the chronic condition gained either through study or experience and focuses on topics of anatomy and pathology, symptoms and severity, stimuli to symptom exacerbation, medication treatments, and selfand family-management techniques (Kintner, 2004(Kintner, , 2007Kintner et al, 2015). Information resource(s) is defined as providers of knowledge about asthma including internet-based websites, traditional resources (e.g., journals/newspapers and professional books), and healthcare professionals (e.g., trained physicians and nurses).…”

Effect of Health Educational Intervention on Knowledge and Perceptions of Asthma among Secondary School Students in Ile- Ife, South-West, Nigeria

“…It is now estimated that over 330 million people of all ages, and all ethnic backgrounds, suffer from asthma and the burden of this disease to governments, health care systems, families, and patients is increasing worldwide (Marsden et al, 2016;GINA, 2014;Vos et al, 2013). Asthma is characterized by a major impact on the lives of affected persons resulting in missed days of school for school children, missed work days characterised by lack of productivity, unplanned childcare, emergency room visits, sleep disorders and fatigue, physical limitations and depression (Kintner et al, 2015). Asthma is a major health problem among adolescents.…”

“…It has been suggested that education of health care providers and the public is a vital element of the response to the challenge posed by asthma (Braman, 2006;Ndiaye et al, 2004). Asthma education and prevention remains the greatest opportunity for decreasing asthma incidence and mortality (Kintner et al, 2015). Studies have also shown that health education can enhance knowledge, change attitudes and behaviours (Daboer et al, 2008).…”

Untitled

“…Hence, increasing the knowledge and attitudes of these groups could be expected to influence adolescents with asthma as knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs are recognised as being major determinants of health behaviour, including compliance with therapy (Brooks et al, 1993). Asthma education and prevention remains the greatest opportunity for decreasing asthma incidence, morbidity and mortality (Kintner et al, 2015). All these have been shown to improve through asthma health education intervention among school students (Valeros et al, 2001;Thies et al, 2001).…”