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Asthma: School-Based Self-Management Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Asthma

NewCDC

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

School-based self-management interventions for asthma control provide education or counseling to help children and adolescents with asthma learn to do one or more of the following:
-Recognize and manage asthma symptoms
-Use medications and inhalers properly
-Avoid asthma triggers

Interventions may also provide instruction on the following:
-Monitoring asthma signs and symptoms
-Stress management
-Implementing an asthma action plan

Interventions may be delivered to students with asthma in group or individual sessions. Trained facilitators may include nurses, teachers, health educators, or peers, and sessions may be provided at school during or outside of regular school hours. Self-management interventions may be combined with additional asthma control activities directed at school staff, parents, or healthcare providers.

Impact

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends school-based asthma self-management interventions to reduce hospitalizations and emergency room visits among children and adolescents with asthma. Evidence shows interventions are effective when delivered by trained school staff, nurses, and health educators in elementary, middle, and high schools serving diverse populations.
When implemented in schools in low-income or minority communities, interventions are likely to promote health equity.

Results / Accomplishments

The published systematic review included 33 randomized controlled trials. Three of these studies did not measure any of the review’s outcomes of interest and were not included in the CPSTF analysis.

A meta-analysis of 19 studies reported the following effects of school-based self-management interventions:
-Reductions in asthma-related emergency department visits (13 studies)
-Reductions in asthma-related hospitalizations (6 studies)
-Reductions in unplanned visits to a medical provider (5 studies)
-Increases in self-reported asthma-related quality of life (7 studies)
-Mixed results for all causes of school absences (10 studies)

Studies also measured intervention effects on asthma control outcomes. Compared with controls, students in self-management intervention groups reported the following:
-Less need for the use of asthma reliever medications (6 studies)
-Fewer activity limitations (6 studies)
-Little or no change in self-reported day-time or night-time symptoms (12 studies) or measures of lung function (6 studies)

About this Promising Practice

Primary Contact
The Community Guide
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS H21-8
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
Topics
Health / Respiratory Diseases
For more details

Behavioral Health Workgroup

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Health Equity Workgroup

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Health Eating, Active Living Workgroup

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Prince George's County Health Department