Kids with asthma can...the power of partnerships

Asthma is one of the leading causes of school absence, missed workdays, emergency department visits and hospitalizations. While the exact cause of asthma is not clear, it is a disease that can be controlled through a combination of medications and environmental control. To address this issue, Children's Hospital Boston collaborated with WGBH, the Children's Museum, Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Public Library to launch the “Kids with Asthma Can…” asthma management campaign. The initiative is first-of-its-kind, in terms of partners, scope and the messages it delivers: “When asthma is well managed, children should be able to learn, play, and sleep” Each partner has leveraged their assets and resources to make the initiative a success. Children's has provided clinical expertise in all aspects of the campaign including reviewing educational materials, reaching out to targeted audiences, and developing the play script.

Unique elements include: 1) partnership and collaboration of major institutions to develop and implement a public health educational campaign; 2)campaign materials are based on a popular children's television series and its character with asthma; 3)outreach efforts, including an interactive play about asthma, are delivered directly to children, families, and caregivers in schools, libraries, and community settings; and 4)media campaign in our targeted neighborhoods with messages on billboards, transit ads, and English and Spanish-language radio stations.