An assessment of a pilot asthma education program for childcare workers in a high-prevalence county.
OBJECTIVE
To assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, and intentions among childcare workers before and after an asthma-management-education session.


METHODS
Between May and August 2004 five asthma-education sessions were provided for childcare workers from Sonoma County, California. A total of 71 childcare workers came to the sessions. Before and after each session we assessed the participants' knowledge, attitudes, and intentions about asthma.


RESULTS
Participant knowledge of asthma causes (eg, air quality, common cold) and interventions (eg, bronchodilators), asthma trigger control plans, ability to identify a child who needs medical attention for asthma, and comfort level with caring for a child with asthma increased significantly. Their knowledge about asthma triggers, early warning signs, and asthma control plans was high before and after the asthma education intervention. Their stated intentions to utilize their asthma knowledge were high before and after the training, which may indicate willingness to implement knowledge and attitude change.


CONCLUSIONS
Asthma education can improve childcare workers' knowledge about asthma-control strategies and attitudes toward asthma interventions.
Saville
Suzanne K
SK
United States Coast Guard Training Center, Petaluma, California, USA.
Wetta-Hall
Ruth
R
Hawley
Suzanne R
SR
Molgaard
Craig A
CA
St Romain
Theresa
T
Hart
Traci A
TA
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002140:California; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D004522:Educational Status; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D055815:Young Adult