The purposes of this study were to examine the relationship between parents'/guardians' health literacy levels and their perceived self-efficacy to manage their child's asthma, and to determine if the health literacy level of the parent/guardian was a stronger predictor of their child's level of asthma control than other influential factors. A four-page asthma survey questionnaire was developed to assess the efficacy expectations and outcome expectations of parents/guardians of African American children with asthma. The questionnaire also included sections of demographic and background characteristics of the parent/guardian and of the child with asthma. A total of 198 interviews were conducted with a participation rate of 99.5%. The majority of the participants interviewed were the mother or step-mother of the child (83.8%) and were in the 20 to 29 age range (29.8%) and 30 to 39 age range (49.5%). Nearly 90% of the participants lived in households with a yearly income of less than $42,057. The majority of the children with asthma were young school-agers (5 to 8 years old) and male.

The results of the study found a statistically significant relationship among the parents'/guardians health literacy levels and their perceived efficacy expectations to manage their child's asthma. The study also found a correlation between the level of asthma control of the child and the efficacy expectations of the parent/guardian. Efficacy expectations and outcome expectations of the parents/guardians were found to be significant predictors of the child's level of asthma control. According to the data analysis, there was a statistically significant relationship between the level of asthma control of the child and how many years the child had been diagnosed with asthma. As the number of years that the child had asthma increased, the level of asthma control increased. There also was a statistically significant relationship between the level of asthma control and the age of the child. As the age of the child increased, the level of asthma increased.

This study highlights the challenges children with asthma and their families face. Nurses and health educators have the opportunity to support these families as they learn to master the complexities of managing a chronic illness. There is evidence that high parental/guardian self-efficacy and successful asthma management contributes to a child with well controlled asthma, improved participation in school activities, improved school attendance, and less health expenses due to reducing the need for costly interventions.