Childhood Asthma: Policies, Health Promotion, and Advocacy

This report provides a comprehensive overview of childhood asthma, focusing on the health policies, health promotion, and advocacy strategies implemented in Australia. The introduction highlights the prevalence of asthma among Australian children, emphasizing the importance of effective management. The report delves into specific policies, including school asthma policies and asthma-friendly education and care services, outlining the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders. It explores the principles of health promotion, primary health care, and advocacy in the context of childhood asthma, emphasizing the importance of context, multi-dimensionality, and community participation. The report also addresses the principles of equity, self-determination, rights, and access, particularly in relation to Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal families, highlighting the need for culturally appropriate and accessible asthma care. It concludes by summarizing the key aspects of the discussed policies and principles, underscoring the importance of holistic approaches to asthma management. This report is relevant to the health and well-being of children and their families.

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Chronic Childhood Illness: Asthma
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Chronic Childhood Illness: Asthma
Introduction
During the first three years of life, about seventeen percent of Australian infants are
affected by wheeze or asthma. Also, forty-one percent of the non-asthmatic children with
four to five years of age are likely to experience asthma by the time they hit the seventh year
(Marks et al., 2009). Asthma is among the most vital reasons that cause the children to visit
doctors, be admitted to healthcare facilities, and be absent from schools. For instance, it is
denoted that about one in every ten children in Australia has been affected by asthma.
Fortunately, if childhood asthma is well managed, the children can be able to live active and
healthy lives (Betterhealth.vic.gov.au., 2018).
Health Policies Associated with Childhood Asthma
School Policy Asthma
The purpose of this policy is to make sure that Australian schools assist those children
who are diagnosed with asthma (Education.vic.gov.au, 2018). The policy indicates that the
schools must have an asthma care plan and a student health support plan for every child who
is diagnosed with asthma. Also, the school should implement a general institutional policy
that facilitates the management of asthma by providing Asthma Emergency Kit content,
medication storage, awareness training for the staff and managing and storing confidential
health information.
The schools should make sure that all the staff members with the responsibility of
taking care of students are sufficiently trained to evaluate and address emergency incidences
that result from asthma. Thus, to accomplish such tasks, the staff members should attend the
free education sessions on asthma carried out in every three years. Such sessions can be
undertaken via the e-learning hub or the asthma health and community professional studies
(Education.vic.gov.au, 2018).

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Also, the policy indicates that those staff members (nurses and sports or physical
education teachers) who are directly responsible for the wellbeing of the students attend and
complete the recognised Emergency Asthma Management sessions that are always offered
after every three years. Moreover, the staff members should adhere to the warnings and
advice from the asthma organizations and education departments associated with a possible
outbreak of asthma activities. Lastly, according to the policy, the schools should provide
management equipment that can be used during asthma emergencies in the form of
emergency kits as indicated by the associated policies such as the Asthma Emergency Kit
policy.
Asthma Policy
The asthma policy was documented based on the discussion with The Asthma
Foundation of Victoria. This policy also incorporates the Asthma and the Child in Care
Model Policy which is one of the foundation’s policies on childhood asthma in Australia
(Asthma Guidelines, 2017).
According to the goals of the policy, the parents/guardians, staff members, and
educators should be aware of their responsibilities and engage in the most relevant practices
of managing asthma. They should also make sure that all essential information for the
effective control of childhood asthma is gathered and documented in order to provide the
necessary attention and care to those children affected asthma. Furthermore, they should also
address the needs of non-asthmatic children who have breathing challenges as these indicate
potential asthma attacks (Asthma Guidelines, 2017).
In terms of values, the policy focuses on providing healthy and safe surrounding for
both the asthmatic and non-asthmatic children. Thus, the environment enables children who
have already been diagnosed with asthma to utilize their full potential when participating in
various activities. Also, the environment should outline a vivid set of procedures and

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principles that should be adhered to when managing asthma incidences. Lastly, educators,
parents or guardians and staff should be educated and contribute to public awareness
regarding asthma when dealing with both the asthmatic and non- asthmatic children.
Asthma Friendly Education and Care Services
Based on this policy, asthmatic children are supported through procedures and
guidelines that are asthma friendly by ensuring that every child, visitor and staff member can
easily access the asthma first aid services during emergencies (Asthmaustralia.org.au, 2018).
The policy outlines its roles and responsibilities based on the different stakeholders.
For instance, the children are assisted to self-control their asthmatic condition based on the
development stage and age as the policy explains the asthma condition, care guidelines and
provides effective asthma care. The policy also emphasises that the parents or guardians
should provide a care plan for asthma approved by the relevant health experts such as the
treating doctor. Besides, the parents should provide the original, labelled, and clearly dated
medication for the children. If the mask and spacer are needed, parents or guardians provide
them and notify the staff in case of any variations in asthma management of their children.
The staff, on the other hand, should record asthma incidences and provide the relevant
information to the parents or guardians as an issue of priority (Asthmaustralia.org.au, 2018).
The staff should also implement a replacement policy for the spacer and mask, label and give
the mask or spacer utilized from the asthma emergency kit to the particular child who used
them for future utilization. Or else, the used mask or spacers should be disposed of carefully.
Also, the staff should frequently review the asthma documentation to guarantee compliance
with the guidelines and reduce the exposure of children to common asthma triggers.

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The Principles of Health Promotion, Advocacy and Primary Health care in Childhood
Asthma
Health Promotion
According to the World Health Organization, health promotion refers to the process
of empowering individuals to improve their control over and enhance their health. Also, it
focuses on different types of health programmes utilized in various countries that move
beyond the concentration on personal risk behaviour to easing the healthy choice through a
number of social and environmental interventions (World Health Organization, 2018).
Health promotion has five major principles which can be useful in childhood asthma
management. First, health promotion is context centred. Thus, it concentrates on the essential
economic and social factors for evaluating ethnic, gender and socio-economic gaps in the
management of asthma pattern within the Australian children. Secondly, health promotion
incorporates a multi-dimensional aspect of health. It, therefore, addresses the mental, social
and physical dimensions in childhood asthma management (World Health Organization,
2018). Thirdly, it reinforces the general role of the state in health promotion, meaning that all
relevant government levels have the obligation and accountability for improving, protecting
and maintaining the health of Australian children by including childhood asthma
management as a key health component. In the fourth place, health promotion advocates for
public good health since it is helpful to the whole community, its economic and social
development. Lastly, health promotion focuses on participation as a vital principle in
supporting health. Thus, the involvement of the community in managing and controlling
childhood asthma conditions is a vital principle in health promotion.
Primary health Care
Primary health care refers to the initial contact level between the health care system
and both the asthmatic and non-asthmatic children. In Australia, primary health care

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integrates health promotion with individual care, the prevention of childhood asthma and
society development as a whole. Also, it encompasses the linking aspects of empowerment,
inter-sectional collaboration, self-determination, access and equity in the management of
childhood asthma. It also includes the comprehension of political, cultural, economic and
social factors of childhood asthma management (World Health Organization, 2018).
Based on the practice scope, nurses should deliver socially acceptable, equally
accessible, medically sound and primary health care to childhood asthma in Australia.
Therefore, they should work interdependently and independently as a team to prioritise those
who require attention and deal with health inequalities. Also, they should enhance individual
and societal self-reliance, control and participation in childhood asthma management. Lastly,
they should promote partnership and collaboration with relevant bodies to promote childhood
asthma care (World Health Organization, 2018).
Advocacy
The Australian health care system encourages public policies beneficial to children
with asthma. Public policy and advocacy work are vital for guaranteeing the safety and health
of asthmatic children. Thus, the relevant stakeholders advocate for state and federal laws as
well as regulations that assist both the asthmatic and non-asthmatic children by focusing on
environmental and medical aspects. Advocacy also ensures the children have access to
valuable, evidence-based care and affordable asthma treatment (Knibbs et al., 2018).
The Principles of Equity, Self-determination, Rights, and Access in Childhood Asthma
Relevant to Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal families
Equity
Equity refers to the reduction of health differences by providing equal chances for all
individuals to benefit fully. Thus, every Australian, encompassing the Torres Strait Islander
and Aboriginal families should get culturally appropriate and safe valuable asthma care.

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Access
High quality, relevant asthma support, and services should be readily available, affordable
and accessible to Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal families.
According to Davy et al. (2016), community acceptance is vital to seeking and
engagement with asthma care services. Thus, acceptance of care services relies on the carers
comprehending the social, historical and cultural aspects of the societies they serve.
Nevertheless, simple understanding is not enough. Instead, a critical and thoughtful
interaction practice that guarantees cultural sensitivity, as indicated by the service receivers is
essential (Harfield et al., 2015). Therefore, indigenous medical care services can offer the
best chance to guarantee access since they address different cultural and social factors of
health experienced by Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal families. For instance, the
indigenous asthma health care services are located near or within the Torres Strait Islander
and Aboriginal communities and they are probably aware of the norms and values along with
the healthcare needs. Thus, such health care services are more willing to collaborate with the
Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal families by responding to their asthma management
needs. Most importantly, indigenous asthma health care services owned and managed by
people from the Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal communities are most likely to promote
culturally safe systems of asthma care (Wilson et al., 2015).
Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal health care workers can also provide self-
management awareness information to the parents or guardians of asthmatic children.
Programs that incorporate culture can be more suitable for the Torres Strait Islander and
Aboriginal families than the conventional programmes (Bailey et al., 2009). For instance,
according to Powell (2016), a three-session education programme carried out by Torres Strait
Islander and Aboriginal health care workers in this communities decreased the number of
days missed by school going children due to asthma, and improved the staffs’ knowledge on

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asthma, the information contained in the children’s asthma action plan and where such
documents were stored (Powell, 2016). Nevertheless, the programme did not lower the rate
asthma outbreaks in Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal communities compared to children
whose families failed to participate in the programme (Powell, 2016).
Self-determination
Powerlessness is often a factor of poor health conditions that can be eliminated by the
control and self-determination of one’s fate. Thus, self-determination and empowerment are
important concepts that should be considered when implementing programmes aimed at
enhancing the management of asthma in Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal families. Thus,
the needs of these families should be viewed holistically.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this piece of writing has described the application of health policies
associated with childhood asthma such as the school asthma policy, asthma policy, and
asthma friendly education and care services, the principles of health promotion, advocacy and
primary health care in childhood asthma and finally, concluded with the principles of equity,
self-determination, rights and access in childhood asthma relevant to Torres Strait Islander
and Aboriginal families.

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