Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112627

Maura W. Dwyer and Elisa Nicholas, MD, MSPH. Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma, The Children's Clinic, 2651 Elm Ave Suite 100, Long Beach, CA 90806, 562-427-4249, mdwyer@memorialcare.org

Background: Community Health Worker (CHW) programs have demonstrated clear and efficient access to the environments within which children with, and at risk for, asthma, live, learn and play. They have also been demonstrated to increase access to care, improve the quality of care, reduce the costs of care, and may contribute to community empowerment and growth by providing jobs, skills, and exposure to health careers.

Methods: The Children's Clinic Serving Children and Their Families (TCC) and the Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma (LBACA) have developed CHW program models, one based in a community health center and one based in the community. Both programs were adapted from California State University, San Francisco and the City College of San Francisco's Yes We Can (YWC) Model and promote a partnership between CHWs, patients, parents, medical staff, schools and the community to improve compliance with NHLBI asthma guidelines and reduce exposure to asthma triggers.

Results: Preliminary outcomes data show promising results, including increased controller medication use, decreased daytime and nighttime asthma symptoms, and decreased ER visits, hospitalizations and missed school days due to asthma. Other findings include decreased exposure to asthma triggers and a decrease in direct medical costs and indirect costs associated with asthma.

Conclusion: CHWs play a vital role in care coordination efforts, improve compliance with NHLBI asthma guidelines, reduce costs associated with asthma and reduce health disparities. Outcomes data, challenges, lessons learned, strategies and tools developed will be delineated in the presentation.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will

• be able to identify key characteristics of effective asthma CHW interventions
• recognize the vital role CHWs play in asthma management and care coordination
• be able to identify useful tools and materials for asthma CHW interventions
• be able to identify positive outcomes associated with the asthma home visiting interventions

Keywords: Asthma, Community Health Promoters

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.