INADEQUATE PARENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF ASTHMA MEDICATIONS

  • 1 April 1989
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 62  (4) , 337-341
Abstract
The parents of 128 children with asthma were interviewed about their knowledge of asthma medications. Simple understanding of the modes of action of these drugs present inonly 42.2% (for .beta.2-agonists), 12.1% (methylxanthines), 11.7% (cromoglycate), 0% (inhaled corticosteroids), and 3.6% (oral corticosteroids) of parents. Simple understanding of when to use these drugs was present in 13.4% (.beta.2-agonists), 4% (methylxanthines), 50% (cromoglycate), 47.1% (inhaled corticosteroids), and 25% (oral corticosteroids). Poor parental knowledge about the pharmacology of asthma was underlined by the inclusion of antibotics, antihistamines, and decongestants as medications used in ashtma. This study also uncovered the continuing misuse of compound methylxanthine preparations and non-selective sympathomimetics in a small percentage of patients.