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what we doprojects

Puff City I
findings

More than 98% of participants were African-American, and an average of 52% qualified for federal school lunch programs.

The Puff City users:

  • Made 50% fewer visits to the emergency department.
  • Required 50% fewer hospitalizations.
  • Missed 60% fewer schools days.

Students in the treatment group reported significantly fewer symptom days in the past two weeks than did controls (3.0 vs 3.4, respectively).

Significant differences between the treatment and control groups were also observed in the number of symptom nights in the past two weeks (2.3 vs 2.5, respectively), and days of restricted activity in the past two weeks (2.2 vs 3.4)

As each school had existing computer resources, the estimated cost of the program was $6.66 per student -- which in large part was attributed to the cost of the asthma referral coordinator, a necessary component of the program.



conclusion
A web-based, tailored approach to changing negative asthma management behaviors is economical, feasible, and effective in improving asthma outcomes in a traditionally hard-to-reach population.

publications
Joseph CLM, Peterson EL, Havstad S, Johnson CC, Hoerauf S, Stringer S, Gibson-Scipio W, Ownby DR, Elston-Lafata J, Pallonen U, Strecher V. A Web-based, Tailored Asthma Management Program for Urban African-American High School Students. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007; 175(9): 888-895.

Joseph CLM, Baptist AP, Stringer S, Havstad S, Ownby DR, Johnson CC, Williams LK, Peterson EL. Identifying students with self-report of asthma and respiratory symptoms in an urban, high school setting. Journal of Urban Health 2007; 84(1): 60-9.

Joseph CLM, Williams LK, Ownby DR, Saltzgaber J, Johnson CC. Applying epidemiologic concepts of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention to the elimination of racial disparities in asthma. Invited Review. J Allergy Clin Immunology 2006; 117(2): 233-240.