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To describe characteristics of children with persistent asthma in the ED who receive most of their healthcare in emergency settings; and determine whether recent asthma experiences or historic patterns of care are associated with identifying the ED as a typical location for care.We conducted a sub-analysis of baseline data from Telemedicine Enhanced Asthma Management through the Emergency Department (TEAM-ED), an RCT of children (3-12 years) presenting to the ED with persistent asthma (2016-2020). Caregivers identified reasons for seeking emergency care, including if their child received most overall healthcare in the ED ('ED Care'; primary outcome) or not ('Other Care'). Independent variables included demographics, recent symptoms and quality of life (QOL), and historic preventive care and healthcare use. We compared responses between ED Care and Other Care groups using bivariate and multivariate analyses.We analyzed data for 355 children (31% ED Care, 69% Other Care). Compared with Other Care, ED Care respondents were more likely to identify the ED as the closest source of healthcare; report fewer symptom nights but a poorer quality of life; and describe the ED as a usual place for sick care, despite most having a PCP.Many children with asthma use the ED as a typical source of healthcare, and are distinguished by need for proximity, poorer caregiver QOL, and historic patterns of care-seeking. Efforts to improve timely access to outpatient care and reinforce the role of PCP-directed asthma management, such as through telemedicine, may reduce preventable morbidity including ED visits.

Asthma guidelines recommend assessment of asthma control and treatment with an ICS when appropriate. Children seen for asthma in the ED often have poorly controlled asthma. Validated questionnaires are rarely used in the ED and ICS are prescribed at less than 5% of ED asthma encounters, leaving many children at risk for continued poor outcomes.To determine if use of a validated asthma questionnaire can increase the proportion of children who receive an ICS prescription during an ED asthma visit.We administered a validated asthma questionnaire (Pediatric Asthma Control and Communication Instrument-ED version [PACCI-ED]) to parents of children 2 - 17 years old presenting for asthma care at a large, urban, academic pediatric ED. Based on national asthma guidelines, the PACCI-ED results were used to determine ICS dose recommendations. ED physicians reviewed the PACCI-ED results and ICS dose recommendations and chose whether to prescribe an ICS upon discharge. ICS prescribing rates during the intervention period were assessed via medical record review and compared to historical controls. We also surveyed parents to examine the association of sociodemographic factors with receipt of an ICS prescription, and surveyed physicians regarding their prescribing decisions.Thirteen physicians and seventy-nine children participated. Historically, the ICS prescribing rate for asthma exacerbations discharged from the ED was 13%. The intervention increased ICS prescribing to 56% (A validated asthma questionnaire increased ICS prescribing for children presenting for to the ED for asthma care. Additional strategies are needed to promote prescribing in this setting and ensure that all eligible children receive guideline-based asthma care.

National asthma guidelines recommend use of an asthma action plan (AAP) as part of chronic asthma care. Unfortunately, AAPs have not been tailored for use in acute care settings, where many patients at risk for poor chronic asthma care are seen, including those who are non-English-speaking or have low literacy levels. We previously developed a picture-based medication plan (PBMP), a unique type of AAP for use in an ambulatory setting and designed to increase patient use and understanding. However, little is known about how parents seeking emergency department (ED) asthma care would perceive the PBMP.To assess parental attitudes toward an asthma PBMP in the largest pediatric ED in Los Angeles County.We surveyed a consecutive sample of English- or Spanish-speaking parents of children 2-17 years seeking ED asthma care. Parents used a 5-point Likert scale for various statements regarding their perceptions of the PBMP. Responses were analyzed by sociodemographics, asthma control, and health literacy using Chi-squared and90 parents provided feedback on the PBMP. The majority of parents endorsed the PBMP. Endorsement was 20%-30% higher among Spanish-speaking parents and those who did not complete high-school compared to English-speaking parents and parents with a high school education or higher (Spanish-speaking parents and parents with less than a high-school education overwhelmingly endorsed the PBMP. It may be useful to consider incorporating the PBMP as part of patient-centered chronic asthma care strategies for populations seen in ED settings.

Background: National asthma guidelines encourage use of patient surveys to aid clinical assessment. Little is known about how these should be administered in acute care settings such as the emergen...

Background: Asthma is common among urban school-age children. Though teachers should be prepared to assist children during an asthma attack, studies show they lack self-efficacy in managing asthma....

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the reliability and validity of medication identification (MED ID), a novel survey assessing caregiver-perceived ability to identify inhaled asthma medications. METHODS We analyzed baseline data from the School-Based Asthma Care for Teens trial in Rochester, NY. Caregivers of adolescents with persistent asthma named the inhaled medications used by their child and identified medications on a pictorial chart. Accurate identification was defined as completed matches between listed names and selected images. Caregivers answered the MED ID survey of four scaled questions on perceived ability to identify inhaled medications. We determined internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha; examined concurrent validity by comparing MED ID sum scores with accurate identification using bivariate and multivariate analyses; and assessed the diagnostic utility of MED ID through receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS 126 caregivers (76% of enrolled) reported >1 inhaled medication; 52% of caregivers accurately identified medications. Two MED ID questions were removed during analysis. The two remaining questions had a score range of 2-10 points; higher scores indicate greater caregiver-perceived ability to identify medications. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.603. Accurate identification of medications was associated with a higher mean MED ID score (8.6 vs 7.6, p = 0.01). Accuracy was most strongly associated with MED ID scores ≥8 points (88% vs 60%, p < 0.001, Phi 0.32); findings were consistent in regression analysis. The greatest area under the curve was seen with MED ID scores ≥8 points (0.638). CONCLUSIONS The two-item MED ID survey is a reliable and valid way to assess caregiver's ability to identify inhaled asthma medications.

To evaluate the effects of overweight/obese versus normal weight on symptoms, activity limitation and health care utilization among a group of urban children with persistent asthma.Data were obtained from the School Based Asthma Therapy trial. We enrolled 530 children ages 3-10 with persistent asthma from 2006 to 2009 (response rate: 74%). We conducted in-home interviews to assess symptoms and health care utilization. We measured height and weight in school nurse offices to determine BMI percentile, and compared normal weight children to overweight/obese (BMI85th percentile) children. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used.We collected BMI data from 472 children (89%); 49% were overweight/obese. When controlling for child race, child ethnicity, intervention group, caregiver age and screen time, overweight/obese children had more days with asthma symptoms (4.25 versus 3.42/2 weeks, p = 0.035) and more activity limitation (3.43 versus 2.55/2 weeks, p = 0.013) compared to normal weight children. Overweight/obese children were more likely to have had an ED visit or hospitalization for any reason (47% versus 36%, OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.01, 2.19), and there was a trend for overweight/obese children to have more acute asthma visits in the past year (1.68 versus 1.31, p = 0.090). Overweight/obese children were not more likely to be taking a daily preventive inhaled corticosteroid (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.68, 1.56).Overweight/obese children with persistent asthma experience more asthma symptoms, activity limitation and health care utilization compared to normal weight children, with no increased use of inhaled corticosteroids. Further efforts are needed to improve the health of these children.

Teens with persistent asthma do not always receive daily preventive medications or do not take them as prescribed, despite established clinical guidelines. The purpose of this study was to understand urban teens' experiences with asthma management, preventive medication adherence and participation in a school-based intervention.Teens (12-15 years) with persistent asthma, and prescribed preventive medication, participated in a pilot study that included daily observed medication therapy at school and motivational interviewing. Semi-structured interviews occurred at final survey. Qualitative content analysis enabled data coding to identify themes.Themes were classified as "general asthma management" or "program-specific." For general management, routines were important, while hurrying interfered with taking medications. Forgetfulness was most commonly linked to medication nonadherence. Competing demands related to school preparedness and social priorities were barriers to medication use. Independence with medications was associated with several benefits (e.g. avoiding parental nagging and feeling responsible/mature). Program-specific experiences varied. Half of teens reported positive rapport with their school nurse, while a few felt that their nurse was dismissive. Unexpected benefits and barriers within the school structure included perceptions about leaving the classroom, the distance to the nurse's office, the necessity of hall passes and morning school routines. Importantly, many teens connected daily medication use with fewer asthma symptoms, incenting continued adherence.Teens with asthma benefit from adherence to preventive medications but encounter numerous barriers to proper use. Interventions to improve adherence must accommodate school demands and unique teen priorities. The school nurse's role as an ally may support teens' transition to medication independence.

We previously conducted the School-Based Asthma Therapy trial to improve adherence to national asthma guidelines for urban children through directly observed administration of preventive asthma medications in school. The trial successfully improved outcomes among these children; however, several factors limit its potential for dissemination. To enhance sustainability, we subsequently developed a new model of care using web-based guides for efficient communications and integration within school and community systems. This article describes the development of the School-Based Preventive Asthma Care Technology (SB-PACT) trial.We developed the SB-PACT web-based system based on stakeholder feedback, and conducted a pilot randomized trial with 100 children to establish its feasibility in facilitating preventive asthma care for high-risk children. The SB-PACT system represents a new model of care using web-based guides for asthma symptom screening, follow-up control assessments, and electronic communications with providers.We enrolled and successfully screened all children using the web-based system. Most providers used the electronic communication system without difficulty, and the majority of children in the intervention group received preventive medications through school as planned and dose adjustments as needed. Several challenges to implementation also were encountered.This program is designed to promote sustainability of school-based asthma care, reduce program costs, and ultimately succeed in a real-world setting. With further refinements, it has the potential to be implemented nationally in schools.

The School Based Asthma Therapy (SBAT) trial builds on a pilot study in which we found that school-based administration of preventive asthma medications for inner-city children reduced asthma symptoms. However, the beneficial effects of this program were seen only among children not exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The current study is designed to establish whether this intervention can be enhanced by more stringent adherence to asthma guidelines through the addition of symptom-based medication dose adjustments, and whether smoke-exposed children benefit from the intervention when it is combined with an ETS reduction program. The intervention consists of both administration of preventive asthma medications in school (with dose adjustments according to NHLBI guidelines) and a home-based ETS reduction program utilizing motivational interviewing principles. This paper describes the methodology, conceptual framework, and lessons learned from the SBAT trial. Results of this study will help to determine whether this type of comprehensive school-based program can serve as a model to improve care for urban children and reduce disparities.

Our objective was to develop a composite index to measure and quantify preventive asthma care delivered in the primary care office. We documented preventive actions used for children with asthma at the time of an office visit and weighted actions based on their intensity to create a composite index. The usefulness of the index was supported by significant correlations with several measures of symptom severity. The composite index also varied by visit type, with the highest scores noted for asthma-related visits, compared to well-child and other illness visits. This composite index has potential use for research and quality improvement efforts.

Measuring the quality of life of caregivers is important for interventions designed for young children with asthma. However, little is known about the impact of childhood asthma on parental quality of life for certain subgroups. This study included the families of young urban children with mild persistent to severe persistent asthma. The goal was to evaluate the relationship between caregivers' quality of life and the children's asthma severity, and to consider the influence of sociodemographic factors on the caregivers' quality of life. Children age 3-7 years (63% male, 59% Black, 75% Medicaid), with mild persistent to severe persistent asthma, were identified from a school-based screening survey. Caregiver quality of life was assessed at baseline and at the end of the study using the Paediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ). Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess the relationship between the PACQLQ and parent-reported asthma symptoms during the same time period. For all measures of severity, there was a significant correlation with quality of life (range r=0.23-0.51, all p