Promoting Self-Care in Urban African-American Teens with Asthma: Program Adaptation

The Teen Education Asthma Management Program (TEAM) is focused on improving asthma health outcomes for low-income urban African-American adolescents with asthma. Asthma affects nine million youth under the age of 17 years. Hospitalization and death rates for African-Americans are nearly triple those of whites. Asthma is responsible for 14 million lost school days and $14 billion in health care and lost productivity costs.

Low-income urban African-American teenagers are vulnerable to a host of competing factors that support the need for viable health promotion programs. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the school-based program TEAM on self-care and quality of life of urban African-American teens with asthma. The TEAM program is composed of: 1) asthma education, 2) coping skills training and 3) nurse practitioner re-enforcement visits.

In year two of a four-year program (N=89), the TEAM program has been offered in four Chicago Public High Schools. The SBHC NP identifies and recruits students. All students complete baseline instruments and health outcome measures. Randomization occurs by school. Asthma education is implemented utilizing techniques such as: group gaming format, group video education, and individualized sessions. Trends in retention and asthma knowledge have increased since implementing these techniques. Key community demographics, poverty and violence rates, will also be presented to support continued health promotion service to at-risk populations.