Catching the Asthma: Family Caring for School-aged Asthmatic Children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the process of family caring in families that had a school-aged child with asthma. One focus of this study was to explore the impact of chronicity on the family, specifically looking beyond illness-management issues. Another focus of this study was to uncover the evolution of family caring within the context of school-aged developmental changes. Grounded theory was the research methodology used to discover the strategies, goals, and dimensions of family caring. The research questions used to begin this exploration were: "What is (are) the experience(s) of family caring?" "How does chronicity impact family caring?" These questions presented a number of avenues for exploration. The impact of chronicity on family caring has not previously been explored in depth. Management of the needs of the family member who has a chronic illness (care-taking) has been studied extensively. Various studies have identified the problems families experience related to care-taking tasks, meeting family members' needs, financial burden, stress, role overload, as well as other dynamics of family functioning. None of these studies have explored the emotive and commitment dimensions of caring (caring for and caring about). An exploration of illness-management in day-to-day living was certainly included in the interviewing process; however, this study extended the exploration of chronicity into all aspects of family life to uncover the dimensions of family caring. Specifically, "How do family members care for and care about each other, while taking care of self and others?"