Awareness of asthma and its management in primary school teachers in Eastern Province
Introduction: Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory disease affecting young children. It is estimated that 14% of the world's children have had asthmatic symptoms, according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Schools represent “home” for most...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2019;volume=8;issue=6;spage=1908;epage=1913;aulast=Alkhamis |
| _version_ | 1828383094379380736 |
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| author | Zahra Nizar Alkhamis Sarah Alawi Hashim |
| author_facet | Zahra Nizar Alkhamis Sarah Alawi Hashim |
| author_sort | Zahra Nizar Alkhamis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory disease affecting young children. It is estimated that 14% of the world's children have had asthmatic symptoms, according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Schools represent “home” for most children as they spend about a third of their waking hours in school each weekday. Also, schools are significant sources of exposure to asthma-triggering allergens. Therefore, school personnel, including teachers, face all the issues of asthma management that the family meets at home. The aim of this study is to assess the levels of knowledge about asthma and its management among primary school teachers in Eastern Province; Saudi Arabia. Methods: 396 primary school teachers answered an electronic questionnaire about asthma. This questionnaire contained different questions which assessed teacher's knowledge about symptoms of asthma, and its management. Also, the survey can determine the teacher's attitude and practice regarding asthmatic students. Results: Overall, 59.6% of teachers had a high level of asthma knowledge as they were able to answer ≥75% of the knowledge questions correctly. Teachers' level of asthma knowledge was not significantly associated with age, but significantly associated with years of teaching experience, educational level and contact with an asthmatic individual. Most of the respondents were at a high level of awareness concerning asthma symptoms, triggering and treatment (73.2%, 60.9%, 60.7%), respectively, while only 19.4% had high knowledge level about sport and asthma. Conclusions: The primary school teachers are not well informed about asthma and its management. Future educational efforts should seek to provide teachers with accurate information about asthma with particular concern for sport and asthma. This will have a significant impact on the management of this chronic respiratory disorder. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:43:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2043dacfb3464d8bb29401a89fe7fd3a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2249-4863 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:43:54Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-2043dacfb3464d8bb29401a89fe7fd3a2022-12-22T02:01:48ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632019-01-01861908191310.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_358_19Awareness of asthma and its management in primary school teachers in Eastern ProvinceZahra Nizar AlkhamisSarah Alawi HashimIntroduction: Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory disease affecting young children. It is estimated that 14% of the world's children have had asthmatic symptoms, according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Schools represent “home” for most children as they spend about a third of their waking hours in school each weekday. Also, schools are significant sources of exposure to asthma-triggering allergens. Therefore, school personnel, including teachers, face all the issues of asthma management that the family meets at home. The aim of this study is to assess the levels of knowledge about asthma and its management among primary school teachers in Eastern Province; Saudi Arabia. Methods: 396 primary school teachers answered an electronic questionnaire about asthma. This questionnaire contained different questions which assessed teacher's knowledge about symptoms of asthma, and its management. Also, the survey can determine the teacher's attitude and practice regarding asthmatic students. Results: Overall, 59.6% of teachers had a high level of asthma knowledge as they were able to answer ≥75% of the knowledge questions correctly. Teachers' level of asthma knowledge was not significantly associated with age, but significantly associated with years of teaching experience, educational level and contact with an asthmatic individual. Most of the respondents were at a high level of awareness concerning asthma symptoms, triggering and treatment (73.2%, 60.9%, 60.7%), respectively, while only 19.4% had high knowledge level about sport and asthma. Conclusions: The primary school teachers are not well informed about asthma and its management. Future educational efforts should seek to provide teachers with accurate information about asthma with particular concern for sport and asthma. This will have a significant impact on the management of this chronic respiratory disorder.http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2019;volume=8;issue=6;spage=1908;epage=1913;aulast=AlkhamisAsthmaawarenessmanagementprimary school teachers |
| spellingShingle | Zahra Nizar Alkhamis Sarah Alawi Hashim Awareness of asthma and its management in primary school teachers in Eastern Province Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care Asthma awareness management primary school teachers |
| title | Awareness of asthma and its management in primary school teachers in Eastern Province |
| title_full | Awareness of asthma and its management in primary school teachers in Eastern Province |
| title_fullStr | Awareness of asthma and its management in primary school teachers in Eastern Province |
| title_full_unstemmed | Awareness of asthma and its management in primary school teachers in Eastern Province |
| title_short | Awareness of asthma and its management in primary school teachers in Eastern Province |
| title_sort | awareness of asthma and its management in primary school teachers in eastern province |
| topic | Asthma awareness management primary school teachers |
| url | http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2019;volume=8;issue=6;spage=1908;epage=1913;aulast=Alkhamis |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zahranizaralkhamis awarenessofasthmaanditsmanagementinprimaryschoolteachersineasternprovince AT sarahalawihashim awarenessofasthmaanditsmanagementinprimaryschoolteachersineasternprovince |