What Is Known About Asthma Care and Management for Children and Young People Under 18 Years of age in New Zealand. A Scoping Review

Abstract

Introduction: Asthma is the most common chronic health condition affecting children in Aotearoa New Zealand, with Māori and Pacific children disproportionately burdened by high morbidity and inequitable care. Despite clinical guidelines and growing research, inconsistencies in diagnosis, treatment adherence, and education persist. This scoping review identifies and maps literature on care models, service delivery, education and support strategies, and experiences of children, young people, and their family/whānau in asthma care and management for those under 18 in Aotearoa New Zealand. Methods: This scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, PsychINFO, and grey literature for articles published between 2014 and 2024 on asthma care for children under 18 in Aotearoa New Zealand. Eligible articles from health or community settings were thematically analysed using conventional content analysis. Results: Twenty-one articles met inclusion criteria, including qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, and policy or guideline documents. Thematic analysis revealed four interconnected themes: (1) medications and adherence, (2) education and health literacy, (3) children and whānau experiences, and (4) culture and beliefs. Findings reflect persistent inequities in asthma outcomes and care access, especially for Māori and Pacific children and highlight opportunities to strengthen culturally safe and family/whānau-centred care to improve asthma care, treatment and its management. Conclusion: This review identifies key gaps in asthma care for children in Aotearoa New Zealand and calls for more responsive, culturally grounded models to improve asthma outcomes across diverse settings.