Evaluation of the awareness and experiences of the primary and secondary school teachers on asthma:
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2022-10-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of the Pan African Thoracic Society
Abstract
Objectives: Children spend the daytime participating in classes and sports. Hence, as the general caregiver of
children during school hours, the teacher has a role in managing those with asthma. The present study aims
to identify teachers’ knowledge, attitude, and experiences about childhood asthma in primary and secondary
schools in Ilorin, Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1532 teachers from 64 schools (24
primary and 40 secondaries) selected through multistage sampling. A 40-item Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire
was used to assess teachers’ knowledge about childhood asthma. A score of <22 out of 40 was considered
suboptimal knowledge of childhood asthma.
Results: The response rate was 92.8%. Two-thirds of respondents were female. The overall mean age was
33.8 ± 8.1 years. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) teaching duration was 6 (3–11) years. The teachers had
the highest median score (60.0%) in the triggers domain and the lowest median score (33.3%) in the symptoms
domain. The overall median (IQR) knowledge score of the primary school teachers was 50.0 (30.0–65.0%), and for
the secondary school teachers was 52.5 (30.0–65.0%), P = 0.689. Two hundred and ninety-one (55.1%) primary
teachers and 479 (53.6%) secondary teachers had suboptimal knowledge. Teachers with an asthmatic relative, an
asthmatic child in the class, or who previously witnessed a child with an asthmatic attack had – significantly better
asthma knowledge, with each P < 0.05.
Conclusion: About half of the teachers surveyed had suboptimal knowledge of asthma. Strategies to improve
teachers’ knowledge are crucial for improved childhood asthma management in Ilorin schools.
Description
Keywords
Asthma, School teachers, Knowledge, Attitude, Nigeria