A Critique of 19 Self-Management Programs for Childhood Asthma: Part I. Development and Evaluation of the Programs

Abstract

Nineteen educational and self-management programs for childhood asthma were described. The programs were developed for application with a broad spectrum of patients across a number of settings. A wide variety of dependent variables were applied to evaluate the 19 programs. It was concluded that when asthma management skills were performed, children and their parents could make a contribution: (1) to preventing and managing attacks; (2) to reducing asthma-related health care costs; (3) to reducing the impact asthma had on the lives of children and their families; and (4) to accepting greater responsibility for the management of childhood asthma. These outcomes demonstrate the worth of such programs.