What is it about?
Bronchiolitis is a seasonal, global acute lower respiratory tract infection caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It is a leading cause of hospital attendance and admission in young children, particularly those under 6 months old. It is linked with social deprivation. Parent Champions from deprived communities worked with parents in their communities to empower and educate expectant/new parents about bronchiolitis risk factors, and give them confidence in self-managing bronchiolitis and knowing when to seek medical advice. As part of an evaluation of the Parent Champions in the Community project, interviews were undertaken with key stakeholders (parents, Parent Champions, Managers and Leaders from the Children's Centres and project team members).
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Why is it important?
This was the first peer-led (Parent Champion) project specifically focusing on bronchiolitis. Parent-to-parent peer support via the Parent Champions was perceived positively by parents who wanted to learn and improve the lives and health of their children. Parent Champions were successful in delivering information. Considering the socioeconomic burden of bronchiolitis to services and families, the potential for an upstream, relatively low cost, high-reach innovative intervention, as evidenced in this project, seems a valuable opportunity for improving children’s respiratory health.
Perspectives
The value of this project is that it has shone a light on the important work that Parent Champions living in the same communities as the parents to whom they are reaching out can achieve. Parent Champions demonstrated that they are capable and effective in delivering health promotion messages about bronchiolitis. In addition, they acted as trusted advocates and knowledge brokers about other factors associated with respiratory ill-health such as poverty, poor housing, and air pollution. They were trusted as they were living similar lives and had similar experiences to the parents they were engaging with.
Professor Bernie Carter
Edge Hill University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Parents Reaching Out to Parents: An Appreciative, Qualitative Evaluation of Stakeholder Experiences of the Parent Champions in the Community Project, Children, September 2022, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/children9101479.
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