Exploring low-income African American and Latinx caregiver perspectives on asthma control in their children and reactions to messaging materials

Abstract

Background

African-American and Latinx children suffer from higher rates of uncontrolled asthma and poorer outcomes compared to white children. Sociocultural factors play a prominent role in how caregivers navigate asthma control for their children.

Objectives

(1) Explore the knowledge, perceptions and behaviors of Latinx and African-American caregivers related to their children’s asthma and identify barriers to achieving asthma control; and (2) Elicit caregiver responses to messaging materials intended to help them better recognize uncontrolled asthma and seek timely medical treatment.

Methods

Study participants were recruited and screened to meet the following inclusion criteria: African-American or Latinx race/ethnicity, household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line, and at least one child diagnosed with asthma with symptom frequency consistent with uncontrolled asthma according to national guidelines. Participants attended one of three moderator-led focus groups. The transcripts were qualitatively analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

Results

Themes emerged among the nineteen participants related to asthma assessment, management, emotion, support, and trust. Caregivers exhibited gaps in their asthma knowledge, especially pertaining to the term “asthma control.” Caregivers generally worried about asthma emergencies more than the daily impairments caused by uncontrolled asthma. Many were uncomfortable using daily controller medications, citing issues of provider trust and side effect concerns. Caregivers did not recognize uncontrolled asthma in their own child, even after viewing messaging materials informing them of symptom frequency criteria.

Conclusion

Culturally tailored interventions, including public asthma messaging, should address low trust in provider recommendations and caregiver concerns about controller medications.

Keywords:

• Pediatrics
• education
• control/management
• morbidity and mortality
• prevention

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Think Group and Myra Spector for their contributions in participant recruitment and moderating the focus groups.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the following National Institutes of Health grants: K24AI114769 R01ES023447 and R01ES026170, as well as the CHER Grant Program through the Moody College of Communications at the University of Texas at Austin.

Funding

This study was supported by the following National Institutes of Health grants: K24AI114769 R01ES023447 and R01ES026170, as well as the CHER Grant Program through the Moody College of Communications at the University of Texas at Austin.