In the new study, researchers found that South Asian parents were less likely than white parents to give their children preventive medication for their asthma. And they were three to four times more likely to believe that most medicines are addictive and likely to do "more harm than good."

Similarly, other ethnic minorities were more likely to have concerns about their children's asthma medication. And both groups of parents were generally more reluctant than white parents to tell friends and family about their child's asthma.

The findings suggest that parents' cultural views influence their beliefs about asthma and its treatment, lead researcher Dr. Nigel C. Smeeton, of King's College London, told Reuters Health.

He and his colleagues found ethnic differences not only in parents' views on medication, but also on the nature of asthma itself. Parents of South Asian background were more likely to believe their child's asthma would "get better," while other minority parents were more likely than whites to believe that the asthma was out of their control and that "faith was more important."

The fact that minority parents were less willing to tell others about their child's asthma is "a finding of great concern," according to Smeeton and his colleagues. It suggests that for some parents, there is a social stigma attached to asthma, they note.

The findings, published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, are based on a survey of parents of 150 children treated at London asthma clinics. Forty-one parents were of South Asian background, while 42 were from "other" ethnic groups, including black Caribbean and black African. The rest of the parents were white.

The ethnic differences seen in the study suggest that doctors need to be aware of the cultural beliefs surrounding asthma and its treatment, according to the researchers.

Smeeton said he and his colleagues have developed a pamphlet for doctors to give to parents that explains how and why children should use their inhaler medication -- including a version in Punjabi, a major language of Pakistan and India.

SOURCE: Archives of Disease in Childhood, December 2007.

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