Study Examines Children’s Use of Inhalation Therapy for Asthma
Karen Parsons and John Knight
Despite having a good understanding of the importance of inhaled medication for controlling asthma, children often fail to use inhaled steroid medication and bronchodilators as prescribed. Karen Parsons, Assistant Professor at Memorial’s School of Nursing, was the lead investigator on an NLCAHR-funded study that was the first to look at inhalation therapy from a child’s perspective.
Among other things the study found that children tend to want to use inhalers for symptom control rather than as a preventative measure; the researchers recommend educational programs to increase compliance.