THE FAMILY AND CHILDHOOD ASTHMA

Authors
Citation
D. Main, THE FAMILY AND CHILDHOOD ASTHMA, Australian journal of social issues, 32(4), 1997, pp. 391-405
Citations number
22
ISSN journal
01576321
Volume
32
Issue
4
Year of publication
1997
Pages
391 - 405
Database
ISI
SICI code
0157-6321(1997)32:4<391:TFACA>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
This paper examines the construction of Childhood Asthma Syndrome by f amilies of affected children. That is, ways in which families understa nd and describe their child's illness, how they respond to the frequen t changes, find ways to adjust to and accommodate being caretakers of a child with a chronic illness. The data revealed families' perception of childhood asthma as a process of frequent change in regard to the asthma condition itself; the child with asthma, individual family memb ers and the family as a unit. Adjustment in family lifestyle was seen as necessary to accommodate the caretaker role of families of a child with a chronic illness. Therefore, to support the role the family play s in this process, additional insights are needed which focus on enabl ing family empowerment.