Carers' perception of childhood asthma and its management in a selected Pakistani community.
OBJECTIVE
To gather information on the level of disease awareness among the carers of asthmatic children and to determine whether it can help us draw inferences about the possible impact of prevailing perceptions on the management of asthma?


METHODS
Subjects were children's parents/guardians visiting the asthma clinic, Children's Hospital, Islamabad. The questionnaire included items on general understanding of asthma, its triggers, and management.


RESULTS
Two hundred carers of asthmatic patients participated. Thirty six per cent thought that asthma is a communicable disease. Rice and oily foods were blamed for asthmatic exacerbations in up to 57% of cases; 82% felt that inhalation therapy is effective in controlling asthma symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Asthma awareness is inadequate. The majority of the carers unnecessarily blamed and withheld many nutritious foods. Social stigmata can undermine the self esteem of growing asthmatics. Lack of awareness is not significantly related to the socioeconomic or educational background. Awareness raising strategies are needed in the community.
Hazir
T
T
Children's Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan. arichi99@hotmail.com
Das
C
C
Piracha
F
F
Waheed
B
B
Azam
M
M
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents