Ethnic differences seen in parents' views of asthma

Ethnic differences seen in parents' views of asthma
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Parents' cultural backgroundsmay sway their views of their children's asthma, includingtheir trust in the medications used to prevent attacks, a studyof British parents suggests.
Past studies in the UK have found that black and SouthAsian children are more likely than white children to visit theemergency room or be hospitalized for severe asthma attacks.Similar racial disparities are seen in other countries,including the United States, where African-American childrenare at greater risk of having poorly controlled asthma.
While there are multiple reasons for these disparities --like poorer access to healthcare -- it's thought that parents'beliefs about asthma play some role.
In the new study, researchers found that South Asianparents were less likely than white parents to give theirchildren preventive medication for their asthma. And they werethree to four times more likely to believe that most medicinesare addictive and likely to do "more harm than good."
Similarly, other ethnic minorities were more likely to haveconcerns about their children's asthma medication. And bothgroups of parents were generally more reluctant than whiteparents to tell friends and family about their child's asthma.
The findings suggest that parents' cultural views influencetheir beliefs about asthma and its treatment, lead researcherDr. Nigel C. Smeeton, of King's College London, told ReutersHealth.
He and his colleagues found ethnic differences not only inparents' views on medication, but also on the nature of asthmaitself. Parents of South Asian background were more likely tobelieve their child's asthma would "get better," while otherminority parents were more likely than whites to believe thatthe asthma was out of their control and that "faith was moreimportant."
The fact that minority parents were less willing to tellothers about their child's asthma is "a finding of greatconcern," according to Smeeton and his colleagues. It suggeststhat for some parents, there is a social stigma attached toasthma, they note.
The findings, published in the Archives of Disease inChildhood, are based on a survey of parents of 150 childrentreated at London asthma clinics. Forty-one parents were ofSouth Asian background, while 42 were from "other" ethnicgroups, including black Caribbean and black African. The restof the parents were white.
The ethnic differences seen in the study suggest thatdoctors need to be aware of the cultural beliefs surroundingasthma and its treatment, according to the researchers.
Smeeton said he and his colleagues have developed apamphlet for doctors to give to parents that explains how andwhy children should use their inhaler medication -- including aversion in Punjabi, a major language of Pakistan and India.
SOURCE: Archives of Disease in Childhood, December 2007.