An evaluation of the Pittsburgh Healthy Home Resources Environmental Asthma Intervention; Assessing primary caretaker changes of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs concerning their ability to care for their child

Research Questions: Did education containing environmental asthma basics, home environment and child care received during the HHR Environmental Asthma Project have a positive impact on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of the primary caretakers? Was there improvement in overall scores from Pre-intervention Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs Questionnaires (KAB) to Post-intervention KAB and a persistence of effect at final KAB 6 months later? Method: During the study, several educational interventions were conducted by HHR community workers. Three KAB Questionnaires were given to primary caretakers - Pre-intervention, Post-intervention and Final. Responses were used to determine how well education improved their knowledge of asthma, management of in-home triggers and asthma prevention techniques. Responses were scored by Likert Scale and based upon total scores. Data collected from caregivers who finished program were analyzed using SPSS 16.0. Results: Post intervention KAB scores increased significantly by 19.9 points over pre-intervention scores (p=.0001). Final KAB scores increased significantly by 23.3 points over pre-intervention KAB scores (p=.006). Conclusions: Education containing elemental asthma knowledge can be used as a fundamental tool in the prevention and management of environmental asthma. Increased awareness of childhood asthma care and control can lead to valuable change in the way of thinking among the primary caregiver that can be sustained over time. Implications for Public Health: The primary caregiver is the key to a better quality of life for children with asthma and having a greater understanding of environmental asthma, its causes and prevention aids the caregiver to become better in controlling asthma triggers.