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[Children with bronchial asthma: effects of an integrated health-care programme]

G Schauerte1, T Fendel, S Schwab

  • 1Leiter des Instituts für Verhaltensmedizin bei Neurodermitis und Asthma, CJD Asthmazentrum Berchtesgaden (Dr. med. Josef Lecheler), Berchtesgaden. Gerd.Schauerte@cjd.de

Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany)
|February 10, 2010
PubMed

Insights

An integrated health-care program (IHP) significantly reduced asthma-related issues in children. This program improved health outcomes for pediatric asthma patients, decreasing hospital visits and reliever medication use.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Health Services Research
  • Asthma Management

Background:

  • An integrated health-care program (IHP) for pediatric bronchial asthma was established in 2005.
  • The program involved specialized pediatricians and rehabilitation clinics, funded by Bavarian health insurances.
  • It targeted children and juveniles aged 2 to 18 years with bronchial asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated health-care program for pediatric asthma.
  • To assess the impact of the IHP on key health indicators and adherence to asthma guidelines.
  • To determine if specialized care reduces healthcare utilization in young asthma patients.

Main Methods:

  • A questionnaire (Q5) collected data on absent days, hospital admissions, days in hospital, emergency visits, and reliever use every 12 months.
  • Symptoms, therapy, and procedures were recorded every 6 months to assess adherence to German asthma guidelines.
  • Patient data from 1280 participants up to the end of 2008 were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Significant reductions in all Q5 items were observed within 2 years of program participation.
  • Patients with at least 12 months of IHP participation showed significant reductions (54-85%) in Q5 items compared to new participants.
  • The need for more intense therapy, as per guidelines, decreased from 25% at 6 months to 17% at 24 months (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • The integrated health-care program significantly reduced absenteeism, emergency visits, and hospitalizations in pediatric asthma patients.
  • Specialized pediatric care within an IHP leads to improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare resource utilization.
  • The findings support the efficacy of integrated care models for managing chronic respiratory conditions in children.
Abstract

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