 |
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
|
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Jane W. Peterson, RN, PhD, School of Nursing, Seattle University, 900 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122-4340, 206-296-5682, jpeterso@seattleu.edu and Sharon A. Dobie, MD, Family Medicine, University of Washington, Box 356390, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.
Research on asthma in children is being conducted by the King County Asthma Forum (KCAF), a community coalition. A central principal guiding this research is the involvement of community members and stakeholders in defining the issues and interventions. The KCAF believes that interventions have a greater chance of success when the community’s values, interest and knowledge are taken into account. Therefore in the assessment phase of this research, we conducted 10 focus groups totaling 69 community members, at various locations in King County. The focus groups were conducted in English, Spanish or Vietnamese depending on the population and were 90 minutes long. The groups included: 3 parent groups (African Americans, Hispanic and Vietnamese) 2 student groups (middle school and high school) and 5 provider groups (childcare providers, school nurses, public health nurses, outreach workers and medical providers). Analysis was done by 2 researchers who coded all transcribed tapes. Findings revealed that each group had a distinct core belief. One such belief expressed by school nurses was that they ‘operated in a chaotic system.' It is from such beliefs that members of the each group viewed asthma, made decisions and acted or intervened in relationship to this chronic disease in children and youth. Providing asthma care rooted in the community’s values and building on their knowledge should improve health outcomes for children with asthma.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion the participant will
Keywords: Community Involvement, Community Research
Related Web page: www.metrokc.gov/health/asthma/forum.htm
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.