A controlled trial of a school based intervention to improve asthma management

¹ School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton
² Education and Prevention, DrugScope, Waterbridge House, London
³ Portsmouth Primary Care Trust, Dunsbury Way Clinic, Havant, UK
⁴ School of Education, University of Southampton, UK
⁵ Child Health (Allergy and Inflammation Sciences), Division of Infection, Inflammation and Repair, University of Southampton, UK

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dcm1{at}soton.ac.uk.

	Abstract

This study investigates school as an appropriate context for an intervention designed to produce clinical and psychological benefits for children with asthma.

193/219 (88.1%) children with asthma (aged 7-9 yrs) from 23/24 (95.8%) schools completed the study. Intervention schools received a staff asthma training session, advice on asthma policy, an emergency ₂-agonist inhaler with spacer and whole class asthma workshops. Non-intervention schools received no asthma related input.

Intervention children required less GP prescribed preventer medication (p<0.01) despite no difference in symptom control compared with non-intervention asthmatic group. Increased peer knowledge of asthma (p<0.0005) may have mediated improved Active quality of life (p<0.05) in the intervention group together with increased self-esteem (Social p=0.01, Athletic p<0.05, Behaviour p=0.001) in girls. Those girls not receiving the intervention but identified as asthmatic within the classroom, and thus possibly stigmatised, reported decreased self-esteem. Lower self-esteem in boys was associated with pet ownership. No change was found in staff knowledge, the establishment of asthma policies or school absences which were low even before intervention.

A whole school intervention can improve the health of children with asthma when followed by support for all children but effects are likely to be modified by gender and the home environment.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. M. Coffman, M. D. Cabana, and E. H. Yelin Do School-Based Asthma Education Programs Improve Self-Management and Health Outcomes? Pediatrics, August 1, 2009; 124(2): 729 - 742. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. McWhirter, D. McCann, H. Coleman, M. Calvert, and J. Warner Can schools promote the health of children with asthma? Health Educ. Res., December 1, 2008; 23(6): 917 - 930. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]