Needs Assessment and Implementation of Asthma Management Education Tools for Sport Coaches in Canada

Clinical Research Results Abstract Research Idea Abstract Service Development & Evaluation Abstract Outline of Context: 45% of asthmatic Canadians choose to not engage in regular exercise because they view their asthma as a barrier to participating in physical activity.1 Additionally, athletes are consistently exposed to environmental triggers while playing sports. Despite these barriers, a gap is prevalent in coach education for managing asthmatic athletes. Aim: The study aimed to explore: 1) if Canadian sports coaches had a need for asthma-related training, 2) sports organizations’ receptiveness to incorporate training, and 3) preferred platform to deliver training to coaches. There was a response rate of 65% with representation from 13 sports at medium to high risk for asthma. 85% of organizations did not provide adequate training and believed that asthma management training would be beneficial. Intervention and Lessons: The project team connected with the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) to propose an online eLearning module (the preferred medium in the survey) on asthma management for Canadian sports coaches. The CAC was chosen because it has trained over 2 million Canadian coaches in 65 sports through similar eLearning. Once confirmed, professional asthma educators and physicians were consulted to discuss learning objectives and current asthma management standards. The team collaborated with various expert bodies to develop content for the module. The content was then developed into an interactive format, translated into French, and will be distributed to all sports coaches in Canada in February 2022. The module includes a pre and post-survey to evaluate its impact and functionality. Impact and Message: The availability of these materials will lead to increased asthma awareness by coaches and more inclusion in sports for asthmatic athletes, thus increasing asthmatics’ quality of life.2 The bilingual training materials produced are applicable to all sports coaches, not just Canadians, and can be distributed by sporting bodies of other countries. Asthma Canada. (n.d.). Breathe Easy: A Guide for being Active and Healthy with Asthma. Toronto; Asthma Society of Canada. Fanelli, A., Cabral, A. L. B., Neder, J. A., Martins, M. A., & Carvalho, C. R. F. (2007). Exercise Training on Disease Control and Quality of Life in Asthmatic Children. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(9), 1474–1480. doi: 10.1249/mss.0b013e3180d099ad Declaration of Interest The module was funded by the Family Physician Airways Group of Canada and AstraZeneca. References and Clinical Trial Registry Information