An Environmental Intervention Program for Indoor Air Pollutants and the Onset of Respiratory System Illnesses in Pediatric Asthma

Pediatric asthma is the most serious chronic health problem facing children in the United States. There are numerous treatment and prevention options available; there has been limited success with most interventions. A global asthma intervention program focuses on education, medication and the environment is needed. This research utilized three distinct strategic goals: (1) Improving health care provider knowledge about environmental asthma triggers, (2) Improving patient/patient family knowledge about environmental asthma triggers, and; (3) Assessing patient homes and developing a home environmental trigger action plan specific to each participant. This research used a standard case (N=100) – control (N=200) methodology to assess the effectiveness of in-home assessment and patient education programs. The case group received all educational materials, and in-home assessment and quality reassessments. The control group received an educational package only. Program effectiveness was based on: (1) the number of ER visits/physician visits over a one year period of each group, and; (2) improved behaviors by patient families after receiving the in-home environmental trigger action plan. The health care provider education program was assessed using a pre test – post test design and a significant increase in knowledge was measured. Secondly, a significant reduction of health care usage was observed in the case group. This research demonstrated the impact of global intervention program.