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

Abstract #116005

Lori B. Feldman-Winter, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Regional Hospital at Cooper-UMDNJ-RWJMS, 401 Haddon Avenue, Room 366, Camden, NJ 08103, 856-757-7729, winterlb@umdnj.edu and Lisa A. Asare, MPH, Office of Minority and Multicultural Health, Department of Health and Senior Services, John Fitch Plaza, PO Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360.

Background: Asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness, affecting an estimated 2.3 million US children between the ages of 5 and 14. Black and inner city children have disproportionately higher asthma morbidity, mortality, and urgent care utilization. We hypothesized that through community-based partnerships the health-related quality of life of asthma patients from a tertiary pediatric pulmonary clinic will be enhanced. Objectives: To increase the compliance of patient/parents with asthma treatment protocols through involvement of a community-based health center. To enhance the health-related quality of life of asthma patients and caregivers by maintaining compliance with treatment protocols. To eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in asthma care among racially and ethnically diverse children in an inner city population. Methods: Subjects are enrolled and randomly assigned to one of two study arms. The difference between groups is the use of community support provided by a community-based health center. Both study arms use asthma care plans including medications, prevention strategies, education, and management consistent with the standard of care provided by the pediatric pulmonary clinic. Results: Through community partnerships a multidisciplinary asthma task force has been developed. The Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) and the Caregiver's equivalent questionnaire permit assessment of community support. Pediatric pulmonary function testing is available as a result of enhanced resource allocation. Conclusions: Linking state funded community-based health education and resource centers with neighboring tertiary care centers enhance coordination of care, permit qualitative and quantitative assessment of community based programs, and enhance resources for tertiary care.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Identify strategies of linking existing community health centers with tertiary pediatric asthma care.
• 2.Describe resource allocation of community-based partnerships for the management of asthma
• 3.Develop strategies to evaluate the effectiveness and outcomes of community-based asthma care though linkages.

Keywords: Asthma, Community Collaboration

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.