Beliefs about Medications in Asthmatic Children Presenting to Emergency Department and Their Parents

Abstract

Objective. The aim of our study was to assess the relationship of beliefs about medications questionnaire (BMQ) scores of asthmatic children presenting to the emergency department and their parents with asthma severity parameters. Methods. Eighty children with asthma presenting to the emergency department with acute asthma findings and their mothers were enrolled in the study. BMQ was applied to all parents and children older than 7 years of age. Asthma severity clinical score was recorded. Results. The mean age of children (39 males, 41 females) was 49.1 ± 42.8 months. Parent necessity and concerns scores were significantly correlated with their counterparts in children (r = 0.74 and r = 0.60, respectively). Difference between necessity and concerns scores was correlated between parents and children (r = 0.60, p = .002). Child’s necessity score was significantly correlated with respiratory severity score (r = −0.43, p = .036). Conclusion. BMQ necessity and concerns scores of asthmatic children in the emergency department and their parents are correlated with asthma severity. Although not assessed in this study, this result may be attributed to the relationship of necessity and concerns with drug adherence. Therefore, increasing the knowledge about asthma medications in asthmatic children and their parents may contribute to asthma control and decrease their emergency visits with acute asthma findings.

• asthma
• beliefs about medications
• concerns
• necessity
• emergency

Acknowledgment

We thank Prof Rob Horne for allowing us to use BMQ and for his critical reading of the manuscript.

Declaration of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest relevant to the topics in this article.