The role of alternate caregivers in the management of pediatric asthma.
OBJECTIVE
The current study examined the role of alternate caregivers (i.e., caregivers living outside of the home who spend at least 6 hr per week caring for the child) in a sample of Latino and non-Latino White (NLW) families with a child with asthma.


METHODS
Participants included 665 families of children with asthma from NLW, Puerto Rican, and Dominican backgrounds from Rhode Island and Puerto Rico. All caregivers completed a validated semistructured family interview assessing asthma management strategies in the family context.


RESULTS
22 percent of families identified an alternate caregiver. Alternate caregiver involvement was highest among Island Puerto Rican families. Island Puerto Rican families who reported alternate caregiver involvement were rated as having higher medication adherence and more balanced adaptation to the demands of asthma management.


CONCLUSIONS
Alternate caregivers may play an important role in family asthma management, especially among some Latino subgroups.
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus dfedele@phhp.ufl.edu.
David A
DA
Fedele
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus.
Alvina
A
Rosales
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus.
Robin S
RS
Everhart
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus.
Daphne
D
Koinis-Michell
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus.
Glorisa
G
Canino
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus.
Greg K
GK
Fritz
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus.
Elizabeth L
EL
McQuaid
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012237:Rhode Island; D044465:White People
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents
asthma; culture; family functioning