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Sebastian Bonner, PhD, Tinka Markham Piper, MPH, CSW, and Joanne K. Fagan, PhD. Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, Fifth floor, New York, NY 10029, 212-822-7281, sbonner@nyam.org
High prevalence of asthma has been found in subsidized inner-city preschools. Parents of children with asthma in East Harlem, New York City (NYC) were recruited from subsidized preschools that have a policy requiring written asthma action plans for children diagnosed with asthma. Bilingual case managers met with parents 2-5 times over a 3-month period to review the asthma action plan, assess adherence to medication, and deliver 20-minute long educational modules. Thirty-four parents were recruited over the study period. The sample was 77% boys; ethnicity was 62% Latino, and 32% Black. The three most frequently delivered educational modules were a) spiral of albuterol reliance leading to ED visits and prednisone (21 times, 62%), b) preparing for a doctor's visit to request controller medications (15 times, 44 %), and c) origin and physiology of asthma (12 times, 35 %). Case management produced improvements in the use of controller medications (48% at last contact vs 32% at first contact). Parents of children who used a controller medication at the last contact were more likely to have received educational modules on airway inflammation (86% vs 39%, p=0.03), controller medication (83% vs 42%, p=0.07) and importance of asthma action plans (78% vs 38%, p=0.05) than children not using a controller medication. Case management by lay health educators appears to enhance treatment and medication adherence of enrolled children in subsidized preschool settings.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Asthma, Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.