Successful school-based intervention for inner-city children with persistent asthma

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• School Health Programs
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Inner-city children with persistent asthma often lack consistent disease management.
• School-based interventions offer a unique opportunity for daily asthma management in this population.
• The Kunsberg School in Denver provides a daily program for children with chronic diseases, including asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Kunsberg school-based asthma management program on healthcare utilization.
• To assess changes in hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and follow-up care for asthma.
• To determine the cost-effectiveness of school-based asthma interventions.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study design was used, comparing Kunsberg enrollees (n=18) with matched controls (n=36).
• Asthma-related healthcare utilization was assessed for an average of 2.9 years before and after program enrollment.
• Demographic data and healthcare costs were analyzed for both groups.

Main Results:

• Kunsberg children showed significantly fewer hospitalizations (0.5 vs. 0.9/year) and emergency department visits (1.4 vs. 2.8/year) compared to controls.
• Asthma-related healthcare costs decreased by 80% for Kunsberg enrollees post-intervention.
• 89% of Kunsberg students received daily, monitored inhaled corticosteroid therapy at school.

Conclusions:

• The Kunsberg school program effectively improved asthma control and reduced disease severity in at-risk inner-city children.
• School-based asthma management, including directly observed controller therapy, leads to significant cost reductions.
• Implementing such programs can be a vital component of managing chronic conditions in pediatric populations.