Assessing asthma self-management education among US children with current asthma, Asthma Call-back Survey (ACBS) 2015–2017

Abstract

Objective

Asthma self-management education (AS-ME) is an effective strategy to help children with asthma achieve better asthma control and outcome. The objective of this study is to assess the association between the prevalence of receiving AS-ME curriculum components and sociodemographic characteristics among children with current asthma.

Methods

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, child Asthma Call-back Survey 2015–2017 aggregated data were used. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess associations of each AS-ME component question and sociodemographic characteristic, adjusting for sample weighting.

Results

Among 3,213 children with current asthma, 52% of children reported ever being given an asthma action plan by a doctor or other healthcare professional. After adjusting for other variables, boys and Non-Hispanic Black children were more likely to report being given an action plan (APR= 1.15[95% CI 1.00–1.32] and APR= 1.28[95% CI 1.07–1.54] respectively). Non-Hispanic Black (APR = 2.15 [95% CI 1.30–3.55]), non-Hispanic, other race (APR = 1.95 [95% CI1.04–3.66]), and Hispanic children (APR = 1.84 [95% CI 1.18–2.89]) were more likely to report taking a course to learn how to manage asthma than non-Hispanic White children. Hispanic children (40.8%) were more likely to report being advised to change home environment compared to non-Hispanic Whites (31.5%) (APR =1.28 [95% CI 1.01–1.63).

Conclusion

The prevalence of some elements of asthma-self management education was relatively low and there were differences observed in the prevalence of receiving AS-ME by race/ethnicity, parental education, and income. Targeted implementation of asthma self-management components and interventions may improve asthma control and reduce asthma morbidity.

Keywords:

• Asthma
• self-management
• education
• children
• asthma attack

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.