Caregiver’s sense of coherence and adherence to paediatric asthma treatment

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that needs to be well controlled to avoid compromising patients’ quality of life. In the paediatric population, the role of caregivers is essential in this process. Moreover, adequate asthma control is integral to a child’s emotional well-being and to improving the child's ability to participate fully in family and social life. One of the main reasons for uncontrolled asthma is low adherence to treatment, by patients and caregivers. Identifying factors mediating the involvement and participation of caregivers through evaluations of caregivers’ sense of coherence can help in the adoption of strategies aimed at effectively directing adherence behaviour through educational and motivational interventions. The goal of this review article is to provide an overview of the sense of coherence as a construct of Antonovsky's salutogenic theory, and to identify its role as a key piece in the successful management of asthma in children.