Asthma knowledge and management in primary schools in south Essex, UK

This study was designed to establish the levels of knowledge about the management of asthma among primary school teachers in South Essex. A total of 135 primary schools participated in a questionnaire survey, with data analysis being carried out on responses from 517 teaching staff. Findings showed that 47 per cent of respondents reported concern about dealing with a child suffering from asthma. Only 16.1 per cent felt confident in dealing with a child suffering from a severe asthma attack. Less than a third of respondents (29.6 per cent) had received training in the management of asthma. These results reflect the requirement to put new emphasis on greater collaborative and partnership working between the NHS and local education authorities to provide appropriate opportunities to meet this need. Increasing teachers’ knowledge and access to resources should result in improved care of children with asthma in schools.