The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

3236.0: Monday, November 11, 2002 - 3:10 PM

Abstract #48742

Community Action Against Asthma: Assessing asthma-related helth status using a community-based participatory research approach in Detroit, Michigan

Toby C. Lewis, MD, MPH1, Edith A. Parker, DrPH2, Thomas G. Robins, MD, MPH3, Katherine Edgren, MSW2, Wilma Brakefield-Caldwell, BS4, Erminia Ramirez, MSW4, Yolanda Hill, MSW5, Alex Allen, MA6, and Barbara A. Israel, DrPH1. (1) School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, 734-615-0494, tobyl@umich.edu, (2) Department of Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, (3) Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, (4) Steering Committee Member, CAAA Steering Committee Member, 19373 Pennington, Detroit, MI 48211, (5) Detroit Health Department, 1151 Taylor, Detroit, MI 48202, (6) Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval St, Detroit, MI 48214

Collaboration between communities and academic institutions in conducting community-based research offers many potential advantages over traditional academic-driven research efforts. These include combining diverse expertise and perspectives to address complex problems, enhancing the relevance and validity of research, overcoming community distrust of research, and enhancing dissemination of research results to the community. Community Action Against Asthma (CAAA) is a multi-disciplinary, community-based participatory project of the Michigan Center for the Environment and Children's Health (MCECH), created and implemented by a partnership of community-based organizations, health agencies, and universities. CAAA's goal is to describe the burden of pediatric asthma on families in Detroit, to characterize environmental risk factors for asthma exacerbation, and to reduce exposure to these risk factors to improve health outcomes. This presentation focuses on the epidemiologic investigation of asthma-related health status among 302 African-American and Latino asthmatic children and their families. Results of a caregiver and child survey assessing frequency of asthma symptoms, medication use, health services utilization, and impact of asthma on the child and family's activities and perceptions of health will be presented. The role of the CAAA steering committee, composed of representatives of all partner groups, in developing survey instruments, guiding survey administration, and in formulating next steps will be discussed. One of the key principals of the steering committee is to employ and train Detroit community members as the field data collection staff. Advantages/successes and challenges of this approach will be explored. Overall lessons learned in using CBPR in an environmental health project will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

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.

Community Collaboration in Environmental Exposure: An Essential Component of Environmental Health Practice

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA