The relationship between self-efficacy beliefs toward self-management of asthma and asthma self-management behaviors in urban African American children

Abstract

<p>African American children in the United States are disproportionately affected by childhood asthma. Despite the enormous effort that has gone into developing educational interventions to teach patients and families self-management skills, morbidity and mortality rates continue to rise, especially for the African American child (CDC, 2005). In an attempt to increase understanding of the factors that may influence self-management of chronic disease, this study examined the relationship between asthma self-efficacy belief and asthma self-management in urban African American children. The study, using a descriptive correlational design, surveyed 81 urban African American children age 7-12 years old with self reported asthma. The relationship among asthma self-efficacy and asthma self-management was explored using the Asthma Belief Survey and Asthma Inventory Control survey. Results demonstrated a significant positive correlation (r=.529, p&lt;.01) between the child's asthma self-efficacy and asthma self-management behaviors. As self-efficacy scores increased, the child's use of more asthma self-management behaviors also increased. Although limited by the design, this study continues to contribute to the body knowledge regarding the psychological construct of self-efficacy and how it is relates to asthma self-management in African American children. Health care providers who work with children with asthma may find that educational interventions designed to enhance self-efficacy may improve self-management in this population of children.</p>