Use of Text Messaging to Educate Family Caregivers of Children With Asthma

Abstract

Purpose

Knowledge deficiencies among family caregivers of children with asthma impede optimal disease management. Current research has shown that texting caregivers is an effective method for delivering family-centered health education. The aim of this quality improvement project was to implement a short message service (SMS)-based intervention to educate family caregivers of children with asthma and evaluate its effect on caregiver knowledge and confidence in asthma management.

Design and Methods

This project employed a pre-posttest design with questionnaires completed at the beginning and conclusion of the intervention. Nineteen caregivers received daily educational messages over a 3-week period.

Results

The intervention resulted in a significant increase in the caregiver asthma knowledge (p = 0.037), but not their confidence (p = 0.604). Caregivers indicated high satisfaction with the length and content of the messages.

Conclusions

This project suggests that the SMS-based education intervention holds potential to assist family caregivers in better managing their child's asthma.

Practice Implications

This quality improvement project seeks to fill the existing gap of inadequate family caregiver education, strengthen caregiver confidence in asthma management, and ultimately, enhance the care experience of asthmatic children. As chronically ill children have the best care experience when their parents are well-informed about the disease and able to formulate solutions to manage emerging symptoms, family caregivers benefit as well. The educational messages enrich their asthma knowledge, enabling them to administer medicine promptly and appropriately when their child exhibits symptoms. Early medical attention minimizes the incidence of asthma attacks as well as the demand for emergency room visits, easing the burden on the healthcare providers. Therefore, using text messaging to educate family caregivers of children with asthma may positively affect child, parent, and provider outcomes.