The Head-off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana (HEAL) study--methods and study population

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Pediatric Asthma
• Public Health Disasters

Background:

• Hurricane Katrina severely impacted children's asthma in New Orleans (NOLA) due to healthcare disruption, increased home mold and allergens, and high stress.
• The post-disaster environment posed significant challenges to managing childhood asthma in the affected region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between the post-Hurricane Katrina environment and childhood asthma in NOLA.
• To evaluate a novel asthma counselor intervention focused on case management and reducing home environmental triggers.

Main Methods:

• Recruited children aged 4-12 with moderate-to-severe asthma from NOLA schools for a 1-year study.
• Conducted clinical and home environmental evaluations, administered an asthma intervention, and collected quarterly data on symptoms, medication, and healthcare visits.
• Involved a community advisory group throughout the study phases.

Main Results:

• Enrolled 182 children, with 67% African American and 25% from households earning less than $15,000 annually.
• Children experienced significant asthma symptoms (average 6.6 days) and frequent healthcare utilization (76% had at least one unscheduled visit).
• This report details the study design and baseline characteristics of the participants.

Conclusions:

• The Head-off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana (HEAL) study successfully recruited and retained participants despite significant post-disaster challenges.
• High-quality data were collected, offering insights into asthma-allergen relationships and the effectiveness of the asthma intervention.
• An adaptive approach and process refinement were key to the study's success.