TY - JOUR T1 - School children as change agent for early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of respiratory illness and diseases JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2020.397 VL - 56 IS - suppl 64 SP - 397 AU - Kazi Faisal Mahmud AU - Fatema Zannat AU - Kazi Raiyan Mahmud AU - Mostafizur Rahman AU - Fatema Rafat AU - Kazi Faiyad Mahmud AU - Kazi Fahim Mahmud AU - Rumana Afroze AU - Nishat Jahan Y1 - 2020/09/07 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/56/suppl_64/397.abstract N2 - A qualitative study conducted in two schools in Dhaka ,Bangladesh. The study methodology included qualitative methods - Focus group discussions, feedback from students in the class, Key Informant Interview with parents and teachers.The study was conducted following training and awareness sessions in grade IX and grade X in different schools. Overall findings are: Children have very low level of knowledge about respiratory illness and disorders. They donot have any knowledge on indoor and outdoor air pollution and preventaive mechanisms like using musk, reducing outdoor time, clean and improved stoves etc. Level of awareness among the teachners and parents in this connection is also significantly low.Children were very enthuiastic on the learning sessions in the classrooms and participated enthusistically. The methodology used in the training sessions - quiz competetion, debate competition, essay writing, group works were very much liked by them. Children could identify symptoms that requires medical intervention.Children formrmed groups and conducted a search activity in five householdes each surrounded by their own house. They were welcomed by the neibors and appriciated by other members of the community.Conclusion and Recommendations: School children can be the change agent for early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of respiratory illness and diseases. Apart from increasing their own knowledge they can also contribute to community. If respiratory disease related issues are incorporated in the school curriculum, and teachers are trained on this, there will unlimited schopes to prevent acute and chronic respiratory diseases and their origins in early life.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 397.This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -