Evaluation of the efficacy of asthma information videos (‘Moving On Asthma’) at improving knowledge in teenage children

Introduction Asthma is a common inflammatory condition that can be life threatening. The National Review of Asthma Deaths (2014) recommended: Parents and children…should be educated about managing asthma. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an educational video on asthma at improving knowledge in adolescent children.

Methods A 3-min asthma education video was shown to young people aged 13–15 years in two contrasting schools. Knowledge of asthma was evaluated using a 6-question form completed at 3 timepoints: baseline (pre), immediately after intervention (post), and 1 week later (delayed). A total of 151 data sets from two schools were analysed.

Results Knowledge was significantly improved immediately after watching the video for four out of six questions, indicating that the video was successful in effectively educating the children about asthma. There was no significant change to responses between immediately after watching the video and a week later, suggesting retention of the knowledge gained from viewing the intervention material.

Conclusion The results suggest acquisition and retention of knowledge in young people after watching a video on asthma, providing evidence to support the use of digital, video-assisted, internet-based learning tools such as the ‘Moving on Asthma’ website as an aid to regular clinics for young people with asthma.