Asthma Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Asthma, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, causes, medications.

Improving care for urban children with asthma: design and methods of the School-Based Asthma Therapy (SBAT) trial.

Halterman JS, Borrelli B, Fisher S, Szilagyi P, Yoos L

Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong, Rochester, New York 14642, USA. jill halterman@urmc.rochester.edu

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.

Published 30 April 2008 in J Asthma, 45(4): 279-86.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Asthma Research Today. All Rights Reserved.