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. 2022 Jun;59(6):1131-1138.
doi: 10.1080/02770903.2021.1914650. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Sleep and asthma management in youth with poorly-controlled asthma and their caregivers: a qualitative approach

Corinne Evans  1 , Andrea Fidler  2 , Dawn Baker  3 , Mary Wagner  3 , David Fedele  2
Affiliations

Sleep and asthma management in youth with poorly-controlled asthma and their caregivers: a qualitative approach

Corinne Evans et al. J Asthma. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: Youth with poorly-controlled asthma are at increased risk for sleep disturbances caused by nocturnal symptoms like coughing. Asthma-related sleep disturbances can have downstream consequences for youth with asthma and their families. This study aims to describe (1) sleep disturbances in adolescents with poorly-controlled asthma and their caregivers and (2) the relationship between sleep and asthma management.

Methods: Adolescents with poorly-controlled asthma and their caregivers completed the Family Asthma Management System Scale (FAMSS), a semi-structured interview that assesses youth asthma management within the family context. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Two authors coded each transcript for sleep-related data in NVivo using descriptive content analysis.

Results: Thirty-three adolescents ages 12-15 years old (M = 13.2, SD = 1.2) with poorly-controlled asthma and their caregivers participated in this study. Four main themes emerged: sleep difficulties, sleep environment, sleep and self-management, and fatigue and self-management. 42% of youth and caregivers reported worse nocturnal asthma symptoms (e.g. coughing) that caused frequent nighttime awakening. Approximately 27% of caregivers expressed distress over their child's nocturnal asthma and described their management strategies (e.g. co-sleeping, nighttime symptom monitoring). Adolescents described sleepiness as a barrier to asthma self-management tasks (e.g. medication adherence, response to exacerbation).

Conclusion: Interview responses demonstrated the considerable interrelationship of sleep and asthma management in adolescents with poorly-controlled asthma. Asthma providers should consider discussing sleep difficulties with their adolescent patients and their families. Addressing these difficulties may help adolescents improve their asthma self-management and help caregivers better cope with their child's disease.

Keywords: Adolescents; family; fatigue; self-management; sleep disturbance.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Coding tree.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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