Care-givers' perception of diagnosis and home treatment of children with asthma in benin city, nigeria

摘要

Education of patient (care-giver in paediatric cases) living with asthma is an important determinant in management outcomes. Favourable outcomes are obtainable when patient/care-givers are compliant with instructions received from care providers. This study was undertaken to determine important factors that can influence care-givers' perception of asthma diagnosis and home treatment following health education in paediatrics asthma clinic.Of the 100 care-givers with complete data for the study, 88 were females and 12 males; age (mean+- SD) 37.80h+- 7.46 years. Actual physicians and care-givers concordance on education concerning asthma diagnosis and home treatment was 40/100(40.0%) which constituted those taught. Respondents who were taught significantly had knowledge of asthma signs and symptoms, asthma triggers and their avoidance, and had better knowledge of equipments for asthma diagnosis monitoring and treatment of asthma at home (p = 0.000, 0.007, 0.001, 0.000 and 0.001 respectively). They were more likely to comply with asthma medication at home and their children had less number of emergency room visits as well as less disease morbidity.