TITLE:
Cross-sectional population based study examining the impact of children with asthma on US rural families
AUTHORS:
Laura C. Palombi, May Nawal Lutfiyya, Kathryn J. Pederson, David R. Simmons, Darin J. Steenerson, Kenzie G. Hohman, Krista Huot
KEYWORDS:
Asthma Family Burden; Children with Asthma; Rural Children with Asthma; NSCH Data; CSHCNS Data
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.5 No.2A,
February
27,
2013
ABSTRACT:
Introduction: Approximately 7.1 million US children
have asthma. The burden of asthma is disproportionate with ruralUSpopulations
experiencing a higher prevalence of the disease. Rural populations experience
additional disparities regarding health care access, job availability, and
daily living resources. Hence, the family impact of having a child with asthma
may be influenced by geographic locale. This impact could be a result of health
insurance tied to employment, out of pocket costs, and health care provider
availability. Few studies have assessed the impact a child’s asthma has on a
family. This study sought to answer the question: What is the impact of
children with asthma on US rural families? Methods: Multivariate techniques
were performed to examine a single year of data from two connected population-based
datasets, the 2007-2008 National Survey of Children’s Health and the 2009-2010
Children with Special Health Care Needs Survey. Children with current asthma
defined the study population for both datasets. A logistic regression model was
performed for each database. The dependent variable for the first model was child in family currently has asthma,
for the second it was rural children with
current asthma. Results: The first logistic regression model confirmed that
rural children were more likely to have asthma than non-rural children. The
second logistic regression model yielded that rural families with a child
diagnosed with asthma had greater odds of: not having health insurance, having
a parent who stopped working, avoided a job change, or experienced financial
problems because of the child’s health. Conclusions: This study demonstrated
that rural families experience a disproportionate financial hardship as a result
of their child’s asthma. Pharmacist intervention in asthma care in rural areas
has the potential to decrease the financial burden for a family while also
improving a child’s health.