Asthma Care Research for Children and Young People

2023-ongoing

Background

Asthma remains one of the most common chronic conditions affecting tamariki, with significant and persistent inequities in diagnosis, treatment access, and outcomes particularly for Māori and Pacific children. Through community-engaged and co-design approaches, this platform's projects aim to close the gap between what we know about asthma inequity and how care is actually delivered, working alongside whānau, schools, and health providers to build more responsive, equitable models of asthma care.

Progress to date

Preliminary findings

The interviews (preliminary results) reveal persistent challenges in asthma care for tamariki, driven by gaps in health literacy, inconsistent messaging across providers, and barriers to accessing preventer medications. Participants described widespread misunderstanding of asthma as a chronic condition, hesitancy towards inhaled corticosteroids, and fragmented care pathways leading to poor continuity. Schools play an essential but uneven role, often hindered by limited training, unclear policies, and inadequate communication with health services. Relational, whānau-centred approaches were seen as crucial for building trust, supporting self-management, and improving engagement. Across settings, participants highlighted the need for consistent education, collaborative practice and integrated systems.

Related publications

• Blamires, J., Foster, M., & Kanengoni‐Nyatara, B. (2025). What is known about asthma care and management for children and young people under 18 years of age in New Zealand. A scoping review. The Clinical Respiratory Journal, 19(12). doi:10.1111/crj.70139
• Blamires, J., Foster, M., Kanengoni-Nyatara, B., Park, M., Kielar, D., Trenholme, A., . . . Kingi, V. (2024). Creating a community engaged research agenda for tamariki with asthma. In Paediatric Society of New Zealand 75th Annual Meeting. Dunedin: Paediatric Society of New Zealand. Retrieved from https://forumpoint2.eventsair.com/psnz-75th-annual-meeting-2024/

Research team