Effect of Family Empowerment on Asthma Control in School-Age Children

BACKGROUND: Recent surveys have showed that asthma control still remains suboptimal. Family members have an extensive impact on the level of asthma control in school-age children. Family empowerment has a positive impact on the quality of life of school-age children with asthma. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of family empowerment on asthma control in school-age children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five children with asthma (6–12 years) and their parents were enrolled in a pediatric asthma clinic during their follow-up visits. The family empowerment program consisted of self-directed educational material, lectures (a nurse-focused format), group interaction (a learner-focused format), group discussions, and demonstration of educational films. The primary outcome was change in asthma control measured by the C-ACT questionnaire. RESULTS: In this study, 45 patients were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: intervention (n=23) and control (n=22). Demographic variables including age and sex were not significantly different between the two groups. There were no significant differences in pre-test asthma control scores between the intervention and control groups at pre-test (p=0.82). However, there was a significant difference in asthma control scores between the intervention and control groups at post-test (p<0.001). In the intervention group, in which children experienced family empowerment, asthma control scores were significantly higher at post-test compared to pre-test (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Family empowerment significantly improved asthma control in school-age pediatric patients. This program could be proposed for proper asthma control and complication-reducing management of the disease. This program is recommended more broadly for other age groups.