| Lack of professional awareness about extent of asthma and asthma-related issues and needs |
1 |
Asthma is not one of the more prevalent problems . . . .There are other[s] that seem to be more at the forefront with the population in this community. [nurse practitioner] |
| 2 |
In the 23 years I have been working at the school, I have seen very few kids with asthma that I am aware of. If [the students] don’t tell us [about their condition], we don’t really know . . . [this study] brings awareness that there may be some significant cases of asthma in our schools that we currently don’t know about. [Physical education teacher] |
| 3 |
The part of the study I find most useful is that [Mi’kmaq families] say they have no supports . . . This is interesting since we could . . . talk about [asthma] with the schools, I mean we just don’t think of that. I usually think of a support group as Alcoholics Anonymous or something like that. [Community health director] |
| 4 |
I see the study providing baseline information for moving forward with developing policy [within the school board], especially when people see that teachers are not letting the children have puffers [at school or in their possession] . . . . [T]he school system needs an eye opener into the disease itself and how it affects the children . . . . I see the study being influential in supporting this process. [Nurse practitioner] |
| School-based opportunities and challenges |
5 |
What would be most beneficial is to have [some kind of intervention] set up in the schools. [The school staff] is the front line with the kids who are spending the majority of their time with these people. If we can educate [school personnel] on what they can do to create a safer environment [for asthmatic children], that would be most beneficial. [Licensed practical nurse] |
| 6 |
A lot of times these [asthmatic children] are being limited in the types of school activities they are allowed to participate in . . . [With improved teacher education], activities can be modified to accommodate the child’s specific needs so they can still participate. When they don’t get to participate, it’s social isolation. They become introverted. We want to encourage [asthmatic children] to grow and be successful members of the community but it is probably really difficult because they are socially isolated from their friends and limited in the activities they can take part in. [Licensed practical nurse] |
| 7 |
Between myself and [the other gym teacher] we teach 400 kids and by the time we get around to reading everyone’s file, it’s too late. [Physical education teacher] |
| Health center-based opportunities and challenges |
8 |
It’s just difficult to get people to come to [support] groups. [Community members] say they want [support] groups but when you put them on they don’t attend. [Community health nurse] |
| 9 |
“[Community members] wanted to support [the work] of a community member rather than [health center staff]. [Community health nurse] |
| 10 |
There is interest [in another camp]. All those families who participated last summer asked me if there would be another asthma camp because they want [support]. I told them we’ll have to wait and see but there wasn’t. It’s too bad. [Community health nurse] |
| 11 |
We have limited amounts of knowledge on everything and not a lot of knowledge on anything. It would help if we had someone in-house that was your chest expert so they could be your “go to” person . . . . [Asthma] education for staff persons would be very relevant . . . [and] doable . . . . That would be a really good resource for the community and [asthmatic] children. [Nurse practitioner] |
| 12 |
There is a lot in [this study] about education. I can educate, but if I don’t know how the other side learns then I will not get my point across. [Non-Mi’kmaq doctor] |
