Family connectedness and pediatric asthma management: The roles of child age and race or ethnicity

ABSTRACT

Family connectedness has been linked to better than expected asthma health in youth at risk for asthma disparities, yet it is unclear whether benefits exist across child development. The association between family connectedness and asthma management was examined in 245 youth (6–15 years), as well as whether this relationship varied by child age and race or ethnicity. Youth and caregivers completed family connectedness and asthma management semi-structured interviews. Higher levels of family connectedness were related to better asthma management across racial/ethnic groups. Child age was a significant moderator of the relation between family connectedness and asthma management for non-Latino White youth only, suggesting that for this group, the effect of family connectedness on asthma management was weaker for older youth. Conversely, family connectedness may consistently promote asthma management for Latino and non-Latino Black youth throughout development.

Conflict of interest

No authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose.

Financial disclosure

The authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health Mid-Career Investigator Award in Patient Oriented Research (K24HD058794) and the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (1RO3AI06626001).

Alvina Rosales is now affiliated with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health Mid-Career Investigator Award in Patient Oriented Research (K24HD058794) and the National Institutes of Health /National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (1RO3 AI066260- 01).