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. 2023 Sep 1;13(9):e070784.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070784.

Barriers to childhood asthma care in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicountry qualitative study with children and their caregivers

Kimesh Loganathan Naidoo  1   2 , Sindiswa Dladla  3 , Reratilwe Ephenia Mphahlele  3 , Gioia Mosler  4 , Sophie Muyemayema  5 , Andrew Sentoogo Ssemata  6 , Elizabeth Mkutumula  7 , Olayinka Olufunke Adeyeye  8 , Melinda Moyo  5 , Olayinka Goodman  8 , Yetunde Kuyinu  8 , Rebecca Nantanda  9   10 , Ismail Ticklay  5   11 , Hilda Angela Mujuru  5 , Jonathan Grigg  4 , Refiloe Masekela  3
Affiliations

Barriers to childhood asthma care in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicountry qualitative study with children and their caregivers

Kimesh Loganathan Naidoo et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Objectives: This study identifies barriers and provides recommendations to improve asthma care in children across sub-Saharan Africa, where qualitative data is lacking despite high rates.

Design: One of the aims of our National Institute for Health Research global health research group 'Achieving Control of Asthma in Children in Africa' was to use qualitative thematic analysis of transcribed audio recordings from focus group discussions (FGDs) to describe barriers to achieving good asthma control.

Setting: Schools in Blantyre (Malawi), Lagos (Nigeria), Durban (South Africa), Kampala (Uganda) and Harare (Zimbabwe).

Participants: Children (n=136), 12-14 years with either asthma symptoms or a diagnosis and their caregivers participated in 39 FGDs. All were recruited using asthma control questions from the Global Asthma Network survey.

Results: There were four key themes identified: (1) Poor understanding, (2) difficulties experienced with being diagnosed, (3) challenges with caring for children experiencing an acute asthma episode and (4) suboptimal uptake and use of prescribed medicines. An inadequate understanding of environmental triggers, a hesitancy in using metred dose inhalers and a preference for oral and alternate medications were identified as barriers. In addition, limited access to healthcare with delays in diagnosis and an inability to cope with expected lifestyle changes was reported. Based on these findings, we recommend tailored education to promote access to and acceptance of metred dose inhalers, including advocating for access to a single therapeutic, preventative and treatment option. Furthermore, healthcare systems should have simpler diagnostic pathways and easier emergency access for asthma.

Conclusions: In a continent with rapidly increasing levels of poorly controlled asthma, we identified multiple barriers to achieving good asthma control along the trajectory of care. Exploration of these barriers reveals several generalisable recommendations that should modify asthma care plans and potentially transform asthma care in Africa.

Trial registration number: 269211.

Keywords: Asthma; PAEDIATRICS; PUBLIC HEALTH; RESPIRATORY MEDICINE (see Thoracic Medicine).

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: The author(s) declare that they have no financial or personal relationship(s) that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article. The funder did not influence the results and compiling of the manuscript. JG reports personal fees from GSK, personal fees from Novartis, personal fees and a grant to QMUL from OM Pharma, personal fees and payment to QMUL from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Omron, outside the submitted work, and is supported by an NIHR Senior Investigator Award. RM reports consultancy and advisory board membership from AstraZeneca, Boehringer and Organon.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relationships of the major themes and subthemes identified.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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