title: Urban caregiver empowerment: Caregiver nativity, child-asthma symptoms, and emergency-department use.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this study, we examined the associations between caregiver empowerment, child-asthma symptoms, and emergency-department (ED) use in a sample of school-age urban children with asthma. We examined differences in caregiver empowerment, and in the associations among caregiver empowerment, proportion of days with child-asthma symptoms, and ED use as a function of caregiver nativity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants for this study were part of a larger longitudinal study and included Latino, African American and non-Latino White urban caregivers and their children with asthma (ages 7-9; N = 130). Caregiver empowerment was assessed within family, asthma services, and community domains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children whose caregivers reported greater empowerment within the family (i.e., possessing sufficient knowledge and ability to care for their families) presented with fewer asthma symptoms. Children whose caregivers reported greater empowerment within asthma services (i.e., the ability to collaborate with asthma providers and the health-care system), presented with more asthma symptoms. Foreign-born caregivers endorsed greater empowerment within the family, whereas U.S.-born caregivers reported greater empowerment within asthma services. For foreign-born caregivers, higher levels of empowerment in the family were associated with fewer child-asthma symptoms. For U.S.-born caregivers, higher levels of empowerment in asthma services were associated with more child-asthma symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that caregivers who feel more confident and better able to manage problems within their families may better manage their children's asthma symptoms. Foreign-born caregivers may benefit from increased support to more effectively navigate the asthma health-care system and manage their children's asthma. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, E. P. Bradley Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University.
authors.forename: Sheryl J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kopel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University.
authors.forename: Brittney
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dansereau
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University.
authors.forename: Daphne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koinis-Mitchell
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D044383:Black People / Q000208:ethnology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D011209:Power, Psychological; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology; D001741:Black or African American