Term of Award
Spring 2020
Degree Name
Doctor of Public Health in Community Health Behavior and Education (Dr.P.H.)
Document Type and Release Option
Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Department
College of Public Health
Committee Chair
Atin Adhikari
Committee Member 1
Jingjing Yin
Committee Member 2
Joanne Chopak-Foss
Committee Member 3
Gulzar H. Shah
Abstract
Asthma is a major chronic disease affecting both children and adults, globally. Approximately 334 million people worldwide have asthma, with high incidence and prevalence among children in low-and-middle-income countries. Children with asthma depend on their caregivers for proper management and control of their asthma condition. The knowledge and perception of proper asthma management practices by caregivers of children with asthma in Nigeria are poor. Appropriate asthma control cannot be achieved without understanding caregivers’ experiences of asthma and their management practice behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors of caregivers in the management of asthma in children under age 5 in Oyo State, Nigeria; using the Health Belief Model. This study employed the explanatory sequential mixed methodology design. 188 caregivers participated in this study. Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between knowledge level and the practice (performance) of asthma management behaviors, and the association between asthma perception and the practice of asthma management behaviors. Regression analysis was used to determine factors predicting caregivers' practice of asthma management behaviors. This study found that most of the caregivers had moderate knowledge of asthma symptoms and asthma triggers in their children, but limited knowledge on proper treatment including medication use and adherence to preventive measures against asthma attacks. Results of the binary logistic regression indicated that income (OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.558-5.778; P = 0.001) was a significant predictor of proper asthma management practice behaviors. Results from this study suggest that to improve caregiver’s asthma management practices, interventions must include preventive measures such as the integration of asthma education at the child welfare clinics, culturally appropriate, and family-centered approach to improving communication and collaboration between caregivers and health care providers. Policymakers must develop health policies that seek to provide affordable asthma care for children with high-risk asthma in the context of poverty.
OCLC Number
1159034271
Catalog Permalink
https://galileo-georgiasouthern.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01GALI_GASOUTH/1fi10pa/alma9916348493602950
Recommended Citation
Akinso, O., Adhikari, A., Ying, J., Shah, G.H., & Chopak-Foss, J. (2020). Childhood Asthma Management Practices in Rural Nigeria: Exploring the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Caregivers in Oyo State. (Doctoral dissertation, Georgia Southern University).
Research Data and Supplementary Material
Yes
