Understanding Sibilancias (Wheezing) among Mexican American Parents

Abstract

Background. Asthma is one of the most common pediatric chronic diseases in the United States; however, prevalence varies across Latino ethnicities, such as Mexican Americans (MAs). Linguistic and cultural issues may contribute to difficulties in diagnosis. Methods. We conducted a qualitative study to assess the comprehension of common words used in a validated asthma questionnaire. The study sample consisted of 40 MA Spanish-speaking parents of 2- to 18-year-old children, with and without asthma, at a community health clinic. Results. Regardless of their child’s asthma status, the majority of parents (12 [80%] with non-asthmatic children; 16 [64%] with asthmatic children) did not understand common Spanish words used in clinical settings to identify asthma (e.g., wheezing and whistling). Instead, parents used physical symptoms and sounds to describe asthma. Conclusion. This exploratory study demonstrates MA parents’ limited comprehension of common words used in clinical settings to identify asthma. Future research should examine tools that incorporate visual and auditory descriptions of asthma.

• asthma
• Mexican American
• qualitative analysis