Abstract
Purpose: This study of Hispanic families with school-aged children (ages 7-12) who are diagnosed with asthma examined the influence of language spoken in the home on family asthma care and access to care.
Background: Asthma is the most common chronic condition in childhood, affecting 8% of all U.S. children. Children who live in poorer families or who are members of ethnic minority groups are disproportionately burdened. Hispanic individuals have 1.2 greater odds of having asthma compared to non-Hispanic white individuals. In Texas, Mexican Americans make up the largest portion of Hispanics, and 11.5% of Mexican American children have asthma in comparison to 9.4% of White children.
Description: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data from parents and their children who had current asthma (n=174) as part of a larger longitudinal study. Chi-Square and ANOVA were run to determine differences in resources (health insurance, socioeconomic status [SES], access to care), asthma morbidity (asthma severity, asthma triggers, hospitalizations, emergency department [ED] visits), and family asthma management (parent home asthma management, child asthma management, inhaler skill, quality of life [QOL]) for English-speaking (n=101) and Spanish-speaking (n=73) Hispanic families.
Outcomes: Spanish-speaking families had significantly lower SES (F=61.22 p< .001) and fewer were insured (x2 =29.06, p < .001). English-speaking children had significantly more asthma triggers (F=7.849, p = .006), and reported performing more asthma self-management (F=7.07, p = .009). There were no significant differences found in asthma severity, hospitalizations, or ED visits, parental home asthma management, children’s inhaler skill, or parents’ or children’s QOL based on language spoken in the home.
Conclusions and Implications: Spanish-speaking families’ reduced resources (health insurance, SES) may impact access to care for children with asthma. While our findings suggested no language differences in asthma severity or healthcare utilization, these are important factors for further exploration. The difficulty in navigating the system for Spanish-speaking families may reduce uptake of asthma education and self-management behaviors and reporting of asthma triggers. When addressing asthma-related care and research interventions in school-aged Hispanic children, additional support may be needed for Spanish-speaking families to reduce health disparities.
Notes
References:
Asthma and Hispanic Americans. (2021). National Health Interview Survey Data 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/nhis/2018/table4-1.htm.
Pate, C.A., Zahran, H.S., Qin, X., Johnson, C., Hummelman, E., & Malilay, J. (2021). Asthma surveillance - United States, 2006-2018. MMWR Surveillance Summary, 70, No. 5.
LeCroy, M.N., Strizich, G.M., Gallo, L.C., Perreira, K.P., Ayala, G.X., Carnethon, M.R., et al. (2021). The association of the parent-child language acculturation gap with obesity and cardiometabolic risk in Hispanic/Latino youth: Results from the Hispanic Community Children's Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth). Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 55, 734-745.
Sigma Membership
Epsilon Theta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Public and Community Health, Hispanic Children, Asthma Management, Language Factors
Recommended Citation
Horner, Sharon D. and Hebdon, Megan C. T., "Does the Language Spoken in the Home Affect Family Asthma Management for Hispanic Children?" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 155.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/155
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Does the Language Spoken in the Home Affect Family Asthma Management for Hispanic Children?
Seattle, Washington, USA
Purpose: This study of Hispanic families with school-aged children (ages 7-12) who are diagnosed with asthma examined the influence of language spoken in the home on family asthma care and access to care.
Background: Asthma is the most common chronic condition in childhood, affecting 8% of all U.S. children. Children who live in poorer families or who are members of ethnic minority groups are disproportionately burdened. Hispanic individuals have 1.2 greater odds of having asthma compared to non-Hispanic white individuals. In Texas, Mexican Americans make up the largest portion of Hispanics, and 11.5% of Mexican American children have asthma in comparison to 9.4% of White children.
Description: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data from parents and their children who had current asthma (n=174) as part of a larger longitudinal study. Chi-Square and ANOVA were run to determine differences in resources (health insurance, socioeconomic status [SES], access to care), asthma morbidity (asthma severity, asthma triggers, hospitalizations, emergency department [ED] visits), and family asthma management (parent home asthma management, child asthma management, inhaler skill, quality of life [QOL]) for English-speaking (n=101) and Spanish-speaking (n=73) Hispanic families.
Outcomes: Spanish-speaking families had significantly lower SES (F=61.22 p< .001) and fewer were insured (x2 =29.06, p < .001). English-speaking children had significantly more asthma triggers (F=7.849, p = .006), and reported performing more asthma self-management (F=7.07, p = .009). There were no significant differences found in asthma severity, hospitalizations, or ED visits, parental home asthma management, children’s inhaler skill, or parents’ or children’s QOL based on language spoken in the home.
Conclusions and Implications: Spanish-speaking families’ reduced resources (health insurance, SES) may impact access to care for children with asthma. While our findings suggested no language differences in asthma severity or healthcare utilization, these are important factors for further exploration. The difficulty in navigating the system for Spanish-speaking families may reduce uptake of asthma education and self-management behaviors and reporting of asthma triggers. When addressing asthma-related care and research interventions in school-aged Hispanic children, additional support may be needed for Spanish-speaking families to reduce health disparities.
Description
Participants will learn about the affects of language spoken in the home on family asthma management and the effect of a dual language intervention delivered by bilingual interventionists on children's asthma-related health outcomes.