title: Asthma care issues in kindergarten teachers: an evaluation on knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of asthma.
abstract: As frequently there is no school nurse in a kindergarten setting, teachers receiving non-medical training take the primary roles of symptom assessment and management of young children with asthma. This article presents the knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of asthma in kindergarten teachers in Taiwan. A total valid sample of 460 teachers was recruited from 70 kindergartens. Results showed most teachers understood the basic facts about asthma rather than the complex issues; they demonstrated positive attitudes toward having asthmatic children in class. Regarding self-efficacy, teachers lacked confidence in their ability to manage asthma attacks. Teachers' asthma knowledge showed a significant positive correlation with attitude (r = 0.27, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy knowledge (r = 0.23, p < 0.001). Given the need to help kindergarten teachers take care of children with asthma, the implications of kindergarten teachers' in-service education and training to asthma care are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Institute of Health Policy and Management, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chao-Chia
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Guey-Shiun
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chun-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Bih-Shya
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Gau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013624:Taiwan; D013663:Teaching