Empowering Participants to Take Control of Their Asthma by Shifting the Paradigm to a More Holistic Approach: A CHW's Experience as a Change Agent

Located in Chicago’s Westside, communities surrounding the Sinai Health System face many barriers to health, including low income, substandard housing and poor air quality. In these neighborhoods, as many as one in four children suffer from asthma and hospitalization rates for asthma are nearly double the national rate. This presentation will be the first hand account of a CHW who has acted as a catalyst for change to impact asthma disparities as part of the Asthma CarePartners (ACP) program. ACP is a yearlong CHW, home intervention for clients with uncontrolled asthma. The program’s CHW takes a holistic approach, considering the whole person, to affect determinants of health by utilizing educational tools, environmental remediation and behavioral change plans to improve asthma management and quality of life in its participants. Current outcomes of the program, demonstrating a 74% reduction in asthma-related hospitalizations and a 71% reduction in emergency room visits, speak to the ability of the CHW to cater all education to the needs of the clients. CHWs encourage participants to embrace, learn and control the disease and to live a healthier lifestyle. CHWs have to become chameleons, changing their techniques and demeanor depending on the client’s lifestyle and perception, while maintaining their commitment to helping others. CHWs are confidants, encouragers and are oftentimes table psychologists. Once a client begins to trust the CHW as a member of their team, the real teaching begins and the client becomes empowered to advocate for themselves and are consequently successful in managing their asthma.