Improving Asthma-Related Outcomes Among Children Participating in the Head-Off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana (HEAL), Phase II Study

摘要

Purpose . Pediatric asthma disproportionately affects low-income and minority children. The HEAL (Head-Off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana), Phase II Project was a collaborative effort with a primary focus to improve pediatric asthma management in New Orleans, Louisiana. The purpose of this article is to report clinical outcomes captured at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Method . HEAL (Head-off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana), Phase II was a pre–post intervention study that enrolled children ages 2 to 18 years of age with a diagnosis of asthma to receive asthma education within the clinic setting. Enrollees received an asthma education intervention, an environmental evaluation, and a 12-month follow-up session. Endpoints included symptom days, level of asthma control, asthma exacerbations, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and missed school days. Results . The majority of participants were aged 5 years and older, male, Black, and persistent asthmatics. Emergency room visits decreased from 41% to 20% ( p p p p Conclusion . The novel intervention was associated with improved asthma outcomes among pediatric patients receiving care at the clinical sites in the Greater New Orleans area.