title: Beliefs and barriers to medication use in parents of Latino children with asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Disparities in asthma outcomes exist between Latino and non-Latino white (NLW) children. We examined rates of medication use, medication beliefs, and perceived barriers to obtaining medication in US and island Puerto Rican parents of children with asthma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Island PR parents would report the lowest rates of controller medication use, followed by RI Latino and RI NLW parents; Latino parents would report more medication concerns than NLW parents; and Island PR parents would report the most barriers to medication use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred thirty families of children with persistent asthma participated, including 231 Island PR, 111 RI NLW, and 188 RI Latino. Parents completed survey measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group differences were found on reported use of ICS (X(2) = 50.96, P < 0.001), any controller medication (X(2) = 56.49, P < 0.001), and oral steroids (X(2) = 10.87, P < 0.01). Island PR parents reported a greater frequency of barriers to medication use than the other two groups (X(2) = 61.13, P < 0.001). Latino parents in both sites expressed more medication concerns than NLW parents (F = 20.18, P < 0.001). Medication necessity was associated with ICS use in all three groups (all P's < 0.01). Medication concerns were positively associated with ICS use in PR only (OR = 1.64, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in medication beliefs and the ability to obtain medications may explain the reported disparity in controller medication use. Further studies are needed to evaluate these obstacles to medication use.
authors: Bradley Hasbro Research Center, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA. emcquaid@lifespan.org
authors: Elizabeth L
authors: EL
authors: McQuaid
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Vasquez
authors: Glorisa
authors: G
authors: Canino
authors: Gregory K
authors: GK
authors: Fritz
authors: Alexander N
authors: AN
authors: Ortega
authors: Angel
authors: A
authors: Colon
authors: Robert B
authors: RB
authors: Klein
authors: Sheryl J
authors: SJ
authors: Kopel
authors: Daphne
authors: D
authors: Koinis-Mitchell
authors: Cynthia A
authors: CA
authors: Esteban
authors: Ronald
authors: R
authors: Seifer
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma; D002648:Child; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000208:ethnology*; D010290:Parents; D011647:Puerto Rico; D014481:United States; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents