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

Abstract #60088

Adam Davis, MPH, MA¹, Joyce Ycasas, MPH¹, Carole Flowers-Clement, PHN, MA², Ira Tager, MD MPH³, Kathleen Mortimer, ScD, MPH⁴, and Rana Cheng, MSW¹. (1) American Lung Association of the East Bay, 295 27th Street, Oakland, CA 94612, (2) Health Services, Oakland Unified School District, 1098 2nd Avenue, Portal 15, Oakland, CA 94612, (3) Center for Children's Environmental Health Research, University of California, Berkeley, 2150 Shattuck Ave, Suite 600, Berkeley, CA 94720, (4) University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health, 1918 University Avenue, 3C, Berkeley, CA 94704

PURPOSE: The CDC has suggested school-based strategies as a way for communities to address the Healthy People 2010 goals for asthma. This school-based pilot program identifies and recruits teenage students into a case management system to develop asthma self-management skills and strategies for identifying and avoiding environmental triggers. METHODOLOGY: Students were screened using a two-stage survey design: (Stage 1) A self-administered 8-question survey, taken in class, identified students with physician diagnosis of asthma or symptoms. (Stage 2) A more detailed survey mailed to parents identified “probable” asthmatics. Students eligible for case management were recruited by telephone. Case management consists of 3-5 home visits by a trained asthma specialist, focusing on proper self-management, trigger identification and remediation, and referrals for social or medical services. RESULTS: At two pilot schools, 1,298 students (90% response rate) aged 11-18 years took the self-administered survey. Of the 567 that were screened positive, 522 were mailed the stage 2 survey- 262 of these (50% response rate) were returned. Of those returned, 135 (45%) students were classified as having probable asthma. 99 had a previous diagnosis of asthma and were considered eligible for case management services. To date, 40 families have enrolled in the program, 2 families have completed the program, and no families have dropped out. Data collected at enrollment, closing, and 3-month follow-up will determine the program’s effectiveness.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify challenges and barriers to implementing school-based screening or prevalence surveys.
• Develop and apply an intensive asthma case management program for teenage students of diverse backgrounds.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a coordinated asthma case management program that bridges school and home.
• Describe ways in which local school districts can collaborate with other organizations to implement asthma related interventions.

Keywords: Asthma, School-Based Programs

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.