The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68219

Paul L. Cummings, MPH, Alameda County Public Health Department, 7200 Bancroft Avenue, Suite 202, Oakland, CA 94605, (510) 577 - 7082, pcumming@co.alameda.ca.us and Kelley Meade, MD, Ambulatory Care Clinic, Children's Hospital Oakland, 747 52nd Street, Oakland, CA 94609.

Oakland's Asthma Start Project, serving children under age 5, comprises two separate programs - the asthma clinic at Children's Hospital Oakland and the intensive home visitation case management program run by the Alameda County Public Health Department. This presentation will share program data over a 2 1/2 year period with over 300 clients comparing the effectiveness of case management and environmental asthma trigger assessments alone, intensive clinic education alone and combined services as measured by reduced asthma symptoms, decreased hospitalizations and emergency room visits, increased efficacy of parents/ care-givers, and estimated medical cost savings. The presentation will discuss key components for successful projects developing a collaborative partnership between clinics and home visitation based case management - including the importance of multiple points of entry, home environmental trigger mitigation, effective cross referrals, effective outreach to identify persons who can most benefit from services and enrolling children into health insurance.

Learning Objectives:

• By the end of the session, participants will understand the key components in developing a collaborative project.
• By the end of the session, participants will understand the effectiveness and cost-savings of different models for managing childhood asthma.

Keywords: Asthma, Child Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Alameda COunty Public Health Department Children's Hospital Oakland
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: employee