Follow-up of an elementary school intervention for asthma management: do gains last into middle school?
OBJECTIVE
Albuquerque Public Schools (APS), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted an evaluation to examine whether students who were exposed to the APS asthma program in elementary school retained benefits into middle school.


METHODS
APS middle school students who participated in the APS asthma program in elementary school, including the Open Airways for Schools (OAS) education curriculum, responded to a follow-up questionnaire (N = 121) and participated in student focus groups (N = 40). Asthma management self-efficacy scores from the follow-up questionnaire were compared to scores obtained before and after the OAS education component. Additional items assessed students' asthma symptoms, management skills, avoidance of asthma triggers, and school impact.


RESULTS
Although asthma management self-efficacy scores declined in middle school among students exposed to the asthma program in elementary school, they remained significantly higher than scores obtained during elementary school prior to the OAS intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that although students benefited from the asthma program delivered in elementary school, they need booster sessions and continued school support in middle school.
Greenberg
Cindy
C
Albuquerque Health/Mental Health Services, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Luna
Pamela
P
Simmons
Gretchen
G
Huhman
Marian
M
Merkle
Sarah
S
Robin
Leah
L
Keener
Dana
D
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009516:New Mexico; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011336:Probability; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents