“One Gets So Afraid”: Latino Families and Asthma Management—An Exploratory Study
Abstract
Introduction
This study explored Latino family experiences, issues, and needs in caring for a child with asthma as expressed by Latino parents of children with asthma.
Methods
Eight families represented by 7 women and 2 men, primarily of Mexican descent, participated in the study. All families had at least one child enrolled in preschools in the East Los Angeles area. The study had an exploratory design and used ethnographic group and individual interview techniques to discover the parents’ experiences in managing their child’s asthma and the meaning asthma has for their families. All interviews were conducted in Spanish.
Results
Several common themes emerged from the data: (a) fear, “I got scared”; (b) the acute care experience, “I was not told what to do, nothing”; (c) knowledge, “I did not know anything about asthma”; and (d) parent alternative strategies or strengths, “We want to do what is best. … we need to be prepared.”
Discussion
Strength emerged from fear. The parents were resourceful and began developing alternative strategies to assist them in their care for their child with asthma. The findings emphasize the need for more opportunities for culturally sensitive asthma education and community health care resources such as mobile asthma treatment centers and promotora programs.
Correspondence: Jill Berg, RN, PhD, University of California, 4-254 Factor Building, School of Nursing, Los Angeles, CA
This study was funded by the University of California, Los Angeles School of Nursing, Center for Vulnerable Populations Research (CVPR) National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Nursing Research #P30, NR00504, and The Allergy Research Foundation.
ABSTRACT