Managing Asthma Within the Context of the Rural Family

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences of rural families caring for children with asthma. The chief caregivers from six rural families were interviewed about the family's daily experiences in living with asthma, their knowledge of asthma triggers, and strategies for managing asthma. Parental knowledge about asthma and asthma management strategies was quite good. The cost of asthma regimens and school policies about medications were major barriers to better control. Other management strategies were directed at maintaining normality of family life.