Child-parent shifting and shared decision-making for asthma management

Garnett, VE

Abstract

Abstract
Introduction
Asthma is the most common long-term illness in children and for the majority of these children asthma continues into adult life. Therefore, developing good decision-making skills at a young age could optimise long-term health outcomes. There is a paucity of research that examines how a child and their parent may share decisions with respect to asthma management, particularly from the child’s perspective.
Methods
A qualitative descriptive study that explored who, what, when and why asthma management decisions occur and are shared between children, 7 to 11 years of age, and their parents. Seventeen participants were recruited, 8 children, 8 parents and 1 grandparent. Data was captured undertaking in-depth individual interviews, using an arts based activity at the beginning of the child interviews to build rapport with the child. Framework approach underpinned data analysis.
Findings
A dynamic model of the way children and parents transfer, shift and share asthma management decisions was uncovered. A conceptual framework was initially developed from the theoretical perspectives relating to child and parent shared decision-making and subsequently revised to integrate findings from the data analysis of the children’s and parent’s accounts.
Conclusion
The thesis uncovers new knowledge that asthma management decisions between children and parents are non-linear, with responsibility transfers from child to parent under different conditions; whether the child or parent dominates, across contexts and individual child/parent preferences. Understanding the shifting/sharing process of decisions has the potential to assist health care professional practice to support child-parent decision-making in asthma, working with the family and as the child develops.

Citation

Garnett, V. Child-parent shifting and shared decision-making for asthma management. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Sep 1, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 1, 2015