Teachers' Knowledge about Asthma and Asthma Management in Inclusive Classrooms in Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract

Although most students who suffer from asthma and asthmatic conditions are enrolled in the regular education setting at all levels of the education system in Trinidad and Tobago; there is no formal training at any level of the teacher education/training system which addresses the need for teachers to acquire knowledge about asthma and asthma management. Both international prevalence figures and informal local estimates suggest the presence of students with asthma in every single classroom. This study investigated the knowledge about asthma and asthma management of primary school teachers in Trinidad and Tobago. The main question was – What do primary school teachers in Trinidad and Tobago know about asthma and asthma management? A random selection of 96 teachers from varied backgrounds participated in a two-part survey about their asthma knowledge and asthma management knowledge. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis which indicated that while teachers had basic knowledge in some areas of asthma and asthma management, they lacked substantial knowledge about asthma and the management of asthma. Tests of between-subjects effect for age and years of teaching experience and asthma knowledge indicated no difference for various groups. A difference emerged when between-subject effects were analysed for sex, family history and asthma management knowledge.