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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing |
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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing |
Vassil Mihaylov, MD1, Aseem K. Bhandari, BS2, Azadeh Tasslimi, BA3, Teresa Lampmann4, Maris Chavenson4, Daniel M. Rosenblum, PhD3, and Stanley H. Weiss, MD5. (1) School of Public Health, Quantitative Methods, University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ, 65 Bergen Street, SSB 701, P.O. Box 1709, Newark, NJ 07107, (973) 230-0096, vassil.mihaylov@gmail.com, (2) Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ, 30 Bergen Street, ADMC 1614, P.O. Box 1709, Newark, NJ 07107, (3) Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry-New Jersey Medical School, 30 Bergen St., ADMC 16, Suite 1614, Newark, NJ 07107, (4) The Pediatric/Adult Asthma Coalition of New Jersey, 1600 Route 22 East, Union, NJ 07083, (5) Department of Preventive Medicine & Community Health / Epidemiology, UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School & New Jersey School of Public Health, 30 Bergen St, Bldg 16, Suite ADMC 1614, Newark, NJ 07107-3000
New Jersey (NJ) state law mandates that an asthma treatment plan be on file for each student diagnosed with asthma in order to use his/her prescribed asthma medication at school. This plan would also help school nurses recognize and better manage symptoms of asthmatic students. Since there is no single accepted plan, the Pediatric/Adult Asthma Coalition of NJ (PACNJ) developed an asthma action plan (AAP). Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PACNJ's AAP, understand how many schools were using it, and identify problems with its use.
In 2004, PACNJ trained representatives from 2000 NJ schools. Nurses from these schools were surveyed on AAP use; 193 surveys were returned (response rate=9.7%). This survey was revised to obtain data more systematically; open-ended questions were changed to multiple-choice. More explicit choices on obstacles to PACNJ AAP use were provided. In 2005, the response rate improved to 19.3% (714/3700 schools).
79 schools responded in both 2004 and 2005; the percentage of school nurses who reported having PACNJ's AAP on file increased significantly from 2004 (69.6%) to 2005 (80.5%, p=0.043). These data are being further analyzed for other trends.
Among nurses who completed the 2005 survey, a significantly greater percentage with the PACNJ AAP on file (21.3%) reported a reduction in early dismissal among students with asthma, compared to the percentage not using the PACNJ AAP (13.4%) (Fisher's exact, p=0.005). Thus, using PACNJ's AAP in schools was effective, as measured by reduced early dismissal due to asthma symptoms.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to
Keywords: Asthma, School Health
Related Web page: www.pacnj.org/
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Any relevant financial relationships? No
The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA