The Effects of an Asthma Management Education Program for Preschoolers

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop an asthma management education program for preschool children using Roy's adaptation theory as a framework and examining the effects of this program on adaptation to asthma treatment. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pre-post-test design was used with 43 preschool children diagnosed with asthma and required to be hospitalized for inhalation therapy. An intervention group (n=23) participated in the educational program and a control group (n=20) received regular treatment. The education program was conducted and evaluated from June 30 to October 31 2012, a maximum 3 times every 24 hours during hospitalization. Two nurses conducted the program using the teaching method of Gagne and Briggs; instruction design theory through questionnaires to measure perception of disease, behavior of adaptation to treatment with inhalation therapy. Results: Effects of asthma management education program; scores for face-pain rating decreased and time of adaptation to treatment increased significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group but no significant differences were found for perception of the disease's cause and treatment. Conclusion: Results indicate that the asthma management education program has positive effects on adaptation to asthma treatment of preschoolers.