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Awardee
Health and Hospital Corporation of
Marion County, Inc.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Target Population
Studies conducted in the inner-city middle schools within Indianapolis have found a 20 percent asthma prevalence rate. The initial programs in these schools have demonstrated the importance of targeting teachers and school staff to facilitate asthma-friendly school environments for children with asthma, and to provide classroom workshops that increase student awareness about asthma. Building on these results, this project seeks to expand the program in elementary and middle schools. In addition, Head Start sites will be the focus of a multidimensional education and screening initiative.
Proposed Strategy
Building upon the Asthma Community Development Group's past success, the project will:
- Provide comprehensive school staff training and followup consultation to facilitate building asthma-friendly school environments and an infrastructure for ongoing student asthma education programs.
- Provide asthma screening for children enrolled in 13 Head Start sites, as well as parent education and Head Start case manager training.
The proposed strategy will focus on four NAEPP goals:
- #1 -- To promote asthma awareness
- #2 -- To diagnose and manage asthma
- #3 -- To implement community asthma programs and policies; and
- #4 -- To prevent recurrent exacerbation of asthma.
Anticipated Outcome
It is anticipated that the implementation of this multi-tiered educational approach will improve community awareness and understanding of asthma, leading to community mobilization and policy changes that will improve the overall diagnosis and management of children with asthma. Success will be measured by increased asthma-friendly policies and programs in schools, decreased school absenteeism from asthma, increased awareness and understanding about asthma among groups targeted for education and training, extent of followup visits by Head Start children to their primary care providers following a positive screen, and decreased emergency department visits.