Asthma Navigator Intervention to Improve Health Equity in Children

Emory University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Asthma in Children

Treatments: Behavioral: The asthma navigator

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06513832

STUDY00007482

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this study is to improve health equity in children aged 5-16.9 years admitted to the PICU for asthma. The objectives are:

• To identify the factors related to differential experiences of asthma self-management
• To pilot the effectiveness of an individualized asthma navigator intervention at PICU discharge.

Full description

Despite available asthma treatments, nearly 50% of children with asthma experience exacerbations annually, with disadvantaged children, particularly Black and Hispanic, being the most affected. These disparities are largely due to social determinants of health (SDOH), including socioeconomics and family hardship, which explain over 80% of the racial disparities in asthma outcomes. Children in lower opportunity neighborhoods face additional challenges like poor housing and limited green spaces, increasing exposure to pollutants and allergens.

At Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Pediatric ICU (PICU), 85% of asthma admissions come from low-opportunity areas, with 36.7% having another exacerbation within a year. Significant barriers to better outcomes include limited provider understanding of SDOH and challenges in asthma self-management. Effective asthma self-management, supported by medical providers, is crucial for improving health outcomes in these disadvantaged children.

Enrollment: 75 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 5 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Admitted to the PICU for asthma

Exclusion criteria

• Cystic fibrosis
• Immune deficiency
• Prematurity <35 weeks
• Gestation and congenital airway deformities
• Non-English speaker

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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75 participants in 2 patient groups

The Asthma Navigator

Experimental group

Description:

The Children's electronic medical record (EMR) of each child will be screened weekly for up to 52 weeks. When an asthma exacerbation prompting unscheduled healthcare utilization is noted (primary outcome), or at the end of 52 weeks, participant involvement in the study will end.

Treatment:

Behavioral: The asthma navigator

Standard of Care

No Intervention group

Description:

This arm will not have access to the Asthma Navigator. The Children's EMR of each child will be screened weekly for up to 52 weeks. When an asthma exacerbation prompting unscheduled healthcare utilization is noted (primary outcome), or at the end of 52 weeks, participant involvement in the study will end.