Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the factors influencing caregiver-perceived adherence to inhalation therapy in children. Methods: This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional study design. The participants were 127 caregivers of chi...
Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the factors influencing caregiver-perceived adherence to inhalation therapy in children. Methods: This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional study design. The participants were 127 caregivers of children aged 1 to 12 years who had been prescribed inhalation therapy at pediatric outpatient clinics in D city and G province. Data were collected from April 2 to April 14, 2026, using a structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 29.0 with descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Adherence to inhalation therapy differed significantly according to disease (Welch F=7.78, p=.001), history of hospitalization (t=2.87, p=.005), inhalation therapy status (Welch F=6.40, p=.003), and relationship to the child (t=2.54, p=.012). Adherence to inhalation therapy showed significant positive correlations with knowledge of inhaler use (r=.50, p〈.001), e-Health literacy (r=.36, p〈.001), and healthcare provider support (r=.39, p〈.001). The multiple regression analysis confirmed that knowledge of inhaler use (β=.43, p〈.001), healthcare provider support (β=.19, p=.034), and history of hospitalization (β=-.32, p〈.001) were factors significantly influencing adherence to inhalation therapy, and the model accounted for 39.2% of the variance (F=8.38, p〈.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that caregivers’ knowledge of inhaler use was the most influential factor in children’s adherence to inhalation therapy. In addition, healthcare provider support and history of hospitalization were confirmed to influence adherence to inhalation therapy. Therefore, improving children’s adherence to inhalation therapy requires repeated and systematic inhaler-use education for caregivers, along with strategies for the continuous provision of information and support by healthcare providers.