OBJECTIVE: To assess asthma related knowledge among parents of asthmatic children at the moment of admission to a specialized service. METHODS: This was a descriptive study. Parents of 93 asthmatic children (aged from 29-18 yr) were interviewed, at the moment of admission to the Pediatric Pulmonary Outpatient Service of a university hospital, using a questionnaire to assess their asthma related knowledge. The assessment focused on understanding of the nature, prognosis and treatment of asthma. Only the data from parents of 87 children aged from 29 days to 10 years were analyzed. RESULTS: Upon self-assessment, 93.1% of the parents considered their asthma related knowledge insufficient and 88.5% showed interest in obtaining more information. With regard to understanding of the nature, prognosis and treatment of asthma, 96.6% of the parents did not know the role of airway inflammation on synthesis of symptoms and 51.7% believed in a cure for the disease. Among the parents whose children use a home nebulizer, 80.6% used it incorrectly; all of the parents whose children use spray without a spacer were not familiar with the correct inhalation technique; 65.5% of the parents were unaware of the importance of environmental control. Presence of allergic sources and of smokers was found in 77.0% and 68.9% of families respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows an insufficient asthma related knowledge among parents of asthmatic children at the moment of admission to a specialized service, characterized by ignorance about the nature and prognosis of the disease, inadequate technique to use inhaled drugs and unawareness of home environmental control.
Asthma; Descriptive study; Questionnaire; Knowledge; Parent
