Managing preschool wheeze: a qualitative study of parents’ views and experiences
Objective The aim of this study was to explore parents’ views and experiences of managing preschool wheeze, including opinions on the use of investigations to inform treatment pathways. Design Purposive sampling was used to recruit 16 participants from 14 families across England and Wales. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured interviews with parents of children aged 1–5 years with preschool wheeze, conducted on Microsoft (MS) Teams. Data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis, facilitated by NVivo software package. Results Analysis generated four themes: (1) pathway to diagnosis, (2) medication management, (3) living with preschool wheeze and (4) improving preschool wheeze healthcare. Findings suggest a negative impact of preschool wheeze on families’ lives, including high levels of worry and limiting capacity for work and travel. Barriers to effective management of preschool wheeze included inconsistent terminologies and diagnostic uncertainty alongside l
