What kind of information does the health services give to children with asthma and their parents?

Holmen, T.L.; Vatten, L.

Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 115(12): 1513-1515

1995


ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001
PMID: 7770857
Document Number: 439998
Good information to families who have children with bronchial asthma is essential for treatment and in helping the family to cope. The aim of this study was to find out what kind of information the parents meant they had received, their knowledge about asthma, and what sanitary measures had been taken at home. A questionnaire was sent to all children (N = 431) who, during a five year period, were entered into the records of the Department of Paediatrics, Innherred Hospital, Norway, with the diagnosis bronchial obstruction. A selected group of 55 children and their parents were also interviewed. The results showed that the parents were not satisfied with the information they had received about the illness and about effects and side effects of the medication. Furthermore, their knowledge about these matters was not satisfactory, judged both by themselves and by the interviewer. It was more difficult to quit smoking or to stop keeping animals than to do extra cleaning at home. Few parents were informed about their possibilities of receiving financial support and about patient organisations. Only in a few cases did the health service provide the school with information on the child's disease.

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