Beliefs and Barriers to Medication Use in Parents of Latino Children With Asthma

Objective: Disparities in asthma outcomes exist between Latino and non-Latino white (NLW) children. We examined rates of medication use, medication beliefs, and perceived barriers to obtaining medication in US and island Puerto Rican parents of children with asthma. Hypotheses: Island PR parents would report the lowest rates of controller medication use, followed by RI Latino and RI NLW parents; Latino parents would report more medication concerns than NLW parents; and Island PR parents would report the most barriers to medication use. Study Design: Five hundred thirty families of children with persistent asthma participated, including 231 Island PR, 111 RI NLW, and 188 RI Latino. Parents completed survey measures. Results: Group differences were found on reported use of ICS (X(2) = 50.96, P < 0.001), any controller medication (X(2) = 56.49, P < 0.001), and oral steroids (X(2) = 10.87, P < 0.01). Island PR parents reported a greater frequency of barriers to medication use than the other two groups (X(2) = 61.13, P < 0.001). Latino parents in both sites expressed more medication concerns than NLW parents (F = 20.18, P < 0.001). Medication necessity was associated with ICS use in all three groups (all Ps < 0.01). Medication concerns were positively associated with ICS use in PR only (OR = 1.64, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Differences in medication beliefs and the ability to obtain medications may explain the reported disparity in controller medication use. Further studies are needed to evaluate these obstacles to medication use. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2009; 44:892-898. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.