[Influence of asthma severity and asthma-specific knowledge on participation in physical education among children and young people with bronchial asthma]

Abstract

Background: Physical activity is an important part of the therapy of bronchial asthma. Even if there is exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in more or less all children with bronchial asthma, the goal is an almost complete participation in physical education lessons in school. The present study investigates their participation rate. In addition, the influence of the knowledge about asthma and the severity of the disease were studied.

Methods: A questionnaire on asthma knowledge and severity, participation rate and exercise-induced symptoms was used in 217 school children suffering from asthma (9 - 16 years).

Results: 80 % of the patients showed a regular participation in physical education. No correlation between participation and asthma severity was found. In contrast, a significant correlation between participation and knowledge about asthma could be demonstrated (r = 0.35, p < 0.01). The knowledge about asthma was better in school children who had completed any asthma education program in the past (19 %). However, there was generally an insufficient knowledge about asthma and exercise in the investigated group. 58 subjects were not familiar with pursed lip breathing and 112 participated in physical education lessons in spite of forgotten asthma medication.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates a moderate increase of participation in physical education lessons in school children with bronchial asthma during the last ten years. The participation rate correlated with asthma-specific knowledge, but not with asthma severity underlining the importance of education programs on asthma and exercise.