Self-management Intervention to Improve Adolescents' Asthma Control
Condition: Asthma
MeSH terms: Asthma
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Approximately 1.1 million children and young people in the United Kingdom (UK) are living
      with asthma, making it the most common chronic disease in children in the UK. Our recent
      observational study found that poor asthma control, poor medication adherence, and a poor
      understanding of asthma were key unmet needs of secondary school children. Following the
      findings from an earlier study, the investigators have developed a preliminary theory-based
      multi-faceted intervention, aimed at improving asthma self-management and control in young
      people.
    

Detailed description: 
      The investigators have developed a theory-driven self-management intervention for children
      and young people which addresses the barriers to successful self-management, which were
      identified in an earlier study. The intervention will engage asthmatic teenagers and their
      peers, and will be delivered in two components. The first component includes a theatre
      workshop for all children aged 11-13 years in London secondary schools. The aim of this
      component is to raise awareness of asthma in schools among peers. The second component is a
      series of four self-management workshops for children with asthma. The aim of this component
      is to teach children about asthma, using interactive role plays and games. The main topics
      will include asthma general knowledge and understanding; General Practitioner (GP)
      communication; asthma triggers and symptoms; medication and emergency response; and
      self-management techniques and goal setting. The children will also receive a toolkit to take
      home with them, which will include a copy of the workbook that they have used during the day,
      containing information on what they have learnt. There will also be information on where they
      can get more help for their asthma. The toolkit will also include information about a
      smartphone gaming app, which will be about asthma knowledge.
    

Intervention name(s): My Asthma in School
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The intervention will include three arms. During the theatre workshop, the children will watch a theatre performance, and engage in a discussion at the end of the play, about what they have watched. The self-management workshops will cover a range of topics identified as barriers to self-management in our earlier study, and will be delivered to children with asthma only. The control group will receive usual care during the intervention.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: The study will include three treatment arms. The first arm will receive the theatre workshop only; the second arm will receive the theatre workshop and the self-management workshops; the control group will receive usual care. Schools will be randomised to one of the groups.
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: Self-management; Children and young people; Schools