Implementation of individualized patient education for Hispanic children with asthma

An educational program known as the Childhood Asthma Project (CAP) was implemented to reduce morbidity among Hispanic children with chronic asthma. Seventy-three children, ages 6-16, participated in 4 program phases: baseline assessment, one-on-one child-centered education, application, and maintenance. During baseline assessment, child and parent asthma beliefs and behaviors were evaluated and used to create educational modules on symptom recognition, peak low meters, medications, and precipitating factors in Spanish and English. Children learned the importance of self-management, practiced using inhalers and peak flow meters and charted peak flow recordings. Videotapes provided peer modeling by showing Hispanic children with asthma performing self-management tasks. During the application phase, patients practiced self-management behaviors at home and reviewed progress with a nurse educator. During maintenance, the success of self-monitoring was reviewed at follow-up appointments. Recommendations for designing health education interventions for Hispanic children are provided.