Jean-Marie Bruzzese, Ph.D.

Asthma Self-Management is Sub-Optimal in Urban Hispanic and African American/Black Early Adolescents with Uncontrolled Persistent Asthma
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Stepney, Cesalie; Fiorino, Elizabeth K; Bornstein, Lea; Wang, Jing; Petkova, Eva; Evans, David
2012 Feb;49(1):90-97, Journal of asthma
Introduction. Youth as young as 11 are given responsibility to manage their asthma. Yet, little is known regarding early adolescents' asthma self-management behaviors. This study characterizes urban early adolescents' asthma self-management behaviors and perceived responsibility to manage asthma, exploring demographic differences and examining the relationship between asthma responsibility and disease management. Methods. About 317 Hispanic and African American/Black early adolescents (mean age = 12.71) with persistent, uncontrolled asthma reported prevention and symptom management steps, and responsibility for asthma care. We used Poisson, cumulative logistic, logistic, and linear mixed-effects regression models to assess the relationships among demographic predictors, prevention and management behaviors, and responsibility for asthma care. Results. Fifty percent took 7-9 prevention steps; few saw physicians when asymptomatic or took daily medication. When symptomatic, 92% used medication to treat symptoms and 56% sought medical attention. Controlling for asthma responsibility, fewer older youth reported observing how they feel when asthma is likely to start, observing symptom changes, or asking for help. More boys reported taking medication daily or upon trigger exposure. Controlling for age, gender, and race/ethnicity, those reporting more asthma responsibility were less likely to report taking management steps, seeking preventive care, asking for help, or going to a doctor/hospital for their asthma. Conclusions. Early adolescents' asthma self-management is suboptimal. With increasing age, they are less observant regarding their asthma and less likely to seek help. Although they perceive themselves to have greater responsibility for managing their asthma, early adolescents do less to care for their asthma, suggesting they are being given responsibility for asthma care prematurely
— id: 149803, year: 2012, vol: 49, page: 90, stat: Journal Article,

Youth and parent versions of the asthma-related anxiety scale: Development and initial testing
Bruzzese J.-M.; Unikel L.H.; Shrout P.E.; Klein R.G.
2011 ;24(2):95-105, Pediatric, Allergy, Immunology, & Pulmonology
Among adults, anxiety related to asthma has been acknowledged to influence asthma self-management. However, it has not been addressed in pediatric samples and there have been no measures developed to assess asthma-related anxiety in youth or parents. The objective of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of novel instruments assessing asthma-related anxiety: the Youth Asthma-Related Anxiety Scale (YAAS) and Parent Asthma-Related Anxiety Scale (PAAS). Scale items were analyzed for content validity. We determined the factor structure using exploratory factor analysis and tested the scales' psychometric properties with 285 Hispanic and African American early adolescents with uncontrolled asthma (mean age=12.8) and their parents (n=230) who participated in a larger randomized control trial testing the efficacy of an asthma intervention; control group families (134 youth and 103 parents) provided follow-up data to assess temporal stability. Both the YAAS and PAAS contained 2 factors with Cronbach alpha coefficients ranging from 0.75 to 0.90. The 2 factors, anxiety about asthma severity and about disease-related restrictions, were highly correlated within each measure. The measures displayed content and construct validity and demonstrated moderate temporal stability over 2-3 months (range: 0.36-0.42). The YAAS and PAAS have adequate psychometric properties and can meaningfully contribute to the assessment of asthma-related anxiety in adolescents and their parents, filling a clinical need in this population.
— id: 135273, year: 2011, vol: 24, page: 95, stat: Journal Article,

Effects of a School-based Intervention for Urban Adolescents with Asthma: A Controlled Trial
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Sheares, Beverley J; Vincent, Elisa J; Du, Yunling; Sadeghi, Hossein; Levison, Moshe J; Mellins, Robert B; Evans, David
2011 Apr 15;183(8):998-1006, American journal of respiratory & critical care medicine
Rationale: Asthma prevalence and morbidity are especially elevated in adolescents, yet few interventions target this population. Objectives: To test the efficacy of Asthma Self-Management for Adolescents (ASMA), a school-based intervention for adolescents and medical providers. Methods: Three hundred forty-five primarily Latino/a (46%) and African American (31%) high school students (mean age = 15.1 yr; 70% female) reporting an asthma diagnosis, symptoms of moderate to severe persistent asthma, and asthma medication use in the last 12 months were randomized to ASMA, an 8-week school-based intervention, or a wait-list control group. They were followed for 12 months. Measurements and Main Results: Students completed bimonthly assessments. Baseline, 6-month, and 12-month assessments were comprehensive; the others assessed interim health outcomes and urgent health care use. Primary outcomes were asthma self-management, symptom frequency, and quality of life (QOL); secondary outcomes were asthma medical management, school absences, days with activity limitations, and urgent health care use. Relative to control subjects, ASMA students reported significantly: more confidence to manage their asthma; taking more steps to prevent symptoms; greater use of controller medication and written treatment plans; fewer night awakenings, days with activity limitation, and school absences due to asthma; improved QOL; and fewer acute care visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. In contrast, steps to manage asthma episodes, daytime symptom frequency, and school-reported absences did not differentiate the two groups. Most results were sustained over the 12 months. Conclusions: ASMA is efficacious in improving asthma self-management and reducing asthma morbidity and urgent health care use in low-income urban minority adolescents
— id: 131793, year: 2011, vol: 183, page: 998, stat: Journal Article,

A school-based intervention for urban adolescents with undiagnosed asthma: findings from a pilot study and on-going RCT
Cespedes, Amarilis; Sheares, Beverley J.; Kingston, Sharon; Kane, Katelyn; Polanco, Michelle; Azuaje, Andrea; Bruzzese, Jean-Marie
2011 APR ;87(1):178-178, Biological psychology
— id: 132771, year: 2011, vol: 87, page: 178, stat: Journal Article,

Asthma self-management in African-American and Hispanic early adolescents
Fiorino, Elizabeth K.; Bornstein, Lea; Wang, Jing; Petkova, Eva; Bruzzese, Jean-Marie
2011 APR ;87(1):169-169, Biological psychology
— id: 132767, year: 2011, vol: 87, page: 169, stat: Journal Article,

Illness-specific anxiety: implications for functioning and utilization of medical services in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease
Reigada, Laura C; Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Benkov, Keith J; Levy, Joseph; Waxman, Amanda R; Petkova, Eva; Warner, Carrie Masia
2011 Jul;16(3):207-215, Journal for specialists in pediatric nursing : JSPN
PURPOSE. Adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be at heightened risk for developing anxiety and depression. This cross-sectional pilot study examined the relationship between anxiety and depression and health-related behaviors. METHODS. Thirty-six adolescents with diagnosed IBD, ages 12-17, and their parents were recruited from two pediatric gastroenterology medical centers. RESULTS. Clinical levels of anxiety (22%) and depressive symptoms (30%) were reported by patients. Regression analyses revealed that IBD-specific anxiety was significantly associated with greater utilization of medical services and worsened psychosocial functioning. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Results provide preliminary support that IBD-specific anxiety may play an important role in disease management, yet concerns are rarely systematically assessed by health professionals
— id: 142148, year: 2011, vol: 16, page: 207, stat: Journal Article,

Predictors of concordance of asthma morbidity among low-income minority youth and their parents
Stepney, Cesalie; Horowitz, Jenny; Reiss, Philip; Podluzskiy, Tatyana; Gan, Weijin; Bruzzese, Jean-Marie
2011 APR ;87(1):177-177, Biological psychology
— id: 132769, year: 2011, vol: 87, page: 177, stat: Journal Article,

My child is diagnosed with asthma, now what?: motivating parents to help their children control asthma
Stepney, Cesalie; Kane, Katelyn; Bruzzese, Jean-Marie
2011 Oct;27(5):340-347, Journal of school nursing
Pediatric asthma is often undiagnosed, and therefore untreated. It negatively impacts children's functioning, including school attendance and performance, as well as quality of life. Schoolwide screening for asthma is becoming increasingly common, making identification of possible asthma particularly relevant for school nurses. Nurses may need to help parents cope with the new diagnosis, and teach them skills to manage the illness. The aim of this article is to present a three-phase model of how parents cope with a newly diagnosed pediatric chronic illness. Using asthma as an example, we describe these phases (Emotional Crisis, Facing Reality, and Reclaiming Life), illustrate how parents progress through the phases, and discuss situations associated with possible regression. Next, we offer strategies framed around a theory of asthma self-management to assist school nurses and other medical providers to motivate parents to develop successful disease management skills
— id: 141483, year: 2011, vol: 27, page: 340, stat: Journal Article,

The relationship of asthma and obesity in urban minority adolescents
Wijetunga, N. Ari; Dorsey, Karen B.; Stepney, Cesalie; Chua, Danica M.; Bruzzese, Jean-Marie
2011 APR ;87(1):177-177, Biological psychology
— id: 132770, year: 2011, vol: 87, page: 177, stat: Journal Article,

Feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a school-based intervention for inner-city, ethnic minority adolescents with undiagnosed asthma
Bruzzese JM; Kingston S; Sheares BJ; Cespedes A; Sadeghi H; Evans D
2010 Nov;85(2):290-294, Patient education & counseling
OBJECTIVE: To describe and test the feasibility of asthma self-management for adolescents with undiagnosed asthma (ASMA-Undx), an 8-week school-based intervention for urban adolescents comprised of three group and five individual coaching sessions, and academic detailing for their primary care providers (PCPs). METHODS: Thirty high school students (mean age 15.9; 92% female; 72% Latino/a) who reported symptoms of persistent asthma, but no diagnosis were randomized to ASMA-Undx or a no-treatment control group. Interviews were conducted pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: All intervention students participated in the three group sessions; 64% received all five individual coaching sessions. Academic detailing telephone calls made by a pediatric pulmonologist reached 83% of the students' PCPs. Relative to controls, a significantly greater proportion of ASMA-Undx students were diagnosed (79% versus 6%, respectively), and prescribed asthma medication (57% versus 6%, respectively). Barriers to diagnosis and treatment included students' and parents' lack of knowledge about asthma. CONCLUSION: ASMA-Undx is a feasible and promising intervention to assist urban adolescents with undiagnosed asthma obtain a diagnosis and treatment. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: ASMA-Undx has the potential to reach many adolescents because it is school-based. It can serve as a model for interventions targeting other pediatric illnesses
— id: 138238, year: 2010, vol: 85, page: 290, stat: Journal Article,

Asthma knowledge and asthma management behavior in urban elementary school teachers
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Unikel, Lynne H; Evans, David; Bornstein, Lea; Surrence, Katherine; Mellins, Robert B
2010 Mar;47(2):185-191, Journal of asthma
Background. Although schools are an important setting for asthma care in youth, teachers' asthma knowledge and symptom management is poor. This study investigated the knowledge, prevention and management behaviors, and communication regarding asthma of teachers of low-income, ethnic minority students. It was hypothesized that relative to colleagues whose students did not have active asthma (i.e., did not have symptoms during the day), teachers of students with active asthma would have better asthma knowledge and that more would take asthma prevention steps and communicate with parents and school nurses. Methods. Drawing from 25 elementary schools in New York City, 320 pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade classroom teachers with at least one student with asthma completed measures assessing their asthma knowledge, steps taken to manage asthma, communication with the school nurse or parents, information they received about asthma, and whether or not they had at least one student in their class experience asthma symptoms. t test and chi-square were used to test hypotheses. Results. Asthma knowledge varied among teachers. Most could identify potential triggers, yet few knew that medication taken prior to exercise could prevent symptoms and that students with asthma need not avoid exercise. Communication between teachers and school nurses and between teachers and parents was lacking. Relative to colleagues whose students did not have active asthma, teachers whose students had active asthma had better asthma knowledge, more took steps to prevent students from having asthma symptoms, communicated with parents, and more initiated communication with the nurse. Conclusions. Teachers' knowledge about asthma and asthma management is limited, especially among those whose students did not have active asthma. Teachers respond reactively to students who have symptoms in class by increasing prevention steps and communications with parents and the school nurse. A more proactive approach to managing asthma in schools is warranted
— id: 107383, year: 2010, vol: 47, page: 185, stat: Journal Article,

School-based asthma programs
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Evans, David; Kattan, Meyer
2009 Aug;124(2):195-200, Journal of allergy & clinical immunology
Asthma is prevalent in school-age children and contributes to school absenteeism and limitation of activity. There is a sizable literature on school-based interventions for asthma that attempt to identify children with asthma and improve outcomes. The purpose of this review is to describe and discuss limitations of screening tools and school-based asthma interventions. Identification of children with asthma may be appropriate in schools located in districts with a high prevalence of children experiencing significant morbidity and a high prevalence of undiagnosed asthma, provided there is access to high-quality asthma care. We review strategies for improving access to care, for teaching self-management skills in schools, and for improving school personnel management skills. Although studies indicate that school-based programs have the potential to improve outcomes, competing priorities in the educational system present challenges to their implementation and emphasize the need for practical, targeted, and cost-effective strategies
— id: 101320, year: 2009, vol: 124, page: 195, stat: Journal Article,

Asthma and social anxiety in adolescents
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Fisher, Paige H; Lemp, Nadia; Warner, Carrie Masia
2009 Sep;155(3):398-403, Journal of pediatrics
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between self-reported social anxiety and asthma in a non-clinical sample of adolescents. STUDY DESIGN: High school students (n = 765) completed the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A), the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C), and questions on asthma diagnosis, asthma symptoms, and asthma-related limitations and medical care. Relationships were examined between social anxiety symptoms and asthma, including history of diagnosis, diagnosis plus current symptoms, and severity. RESULTS: Compared with students without an asthma diagnosis and no symptoms, students with a diagnosis and current symptoms reported heightened social anxiety symptoms related to fear of negative evaluations and generalized discomfort in social settings as measured by the SAS-A. Additionally, a greater proportion of students with an asthma diagnosis and current symptoms were in the clinical range of social anxiety on the SAS-A. Differences on the SAS-A by history of asthma diagnosis and by severity were not supported. No differences were found on the SPAI-C for history of asthma diagnosis, diagnosis plus current symptoms or severity. CONCLUSIONS: Students with current asthma symptoms were more likely to report social anxiety, perhaps related to concerns about exhibiting symptoms or taking medication in front of peers. These findings may suggest advantages for medical providers to identify and treat social anxiety in patients with asthma
— id: 102153, year: 2009, vol: 155, page: 398, stat: Journal Article,

Effective methods to improve recruitment and retention in school-based substance use prevention studies
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Gallagher, Richard; McCann-Doyle, Sharon; Reiss, Philip T; Wijetunga, Neil A
2009 Sep;79(9):400-407, Journal of school health
BACKGROUND: Poor recruitment and high attrition may invalidate results of research studies. This paper describes successful recruitment and retention strategies in a school-based substance use prevention trial and explores factors associated with intervention attendance and retention. METHODS: A total of 384 parent-child dyads from 15 schools in the New York Metropolitan area participated in a control trial, testing the efficacy of parent-training to prevent youth substance use. Assessments were completed immediately post-intervention and 6-, 12-, and 24-month postintervention. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine which familial and study characteristics predicted attendance in the intervention and retention by parents and youth. RESULTS: 84% of intervention parents attended 4 of the 5 workshops; 83% of control parents attended their single workshop. Intervention attendance was predicted by parent job status, but this was not significant after controlling for other family factors. Retention rates ranged from 87% to 91% over the 2 years. No family characteristics predicted retention, but time since baseline and attendance at treatment workshops and the control workshop did. For children, age at baseline and ethnicity predicted retention, but this did not remain significant in the adjusted model. CONCLUSION: Intervention attendance was high and retention rates far exceeded the minimum standard of 70% retention in behavioral studies. Recruitment and retention strategies were effective for different family constellations. Efforts to maximize participation in both treatment and control interventions are critical to retention in longitudinal trials
— id: 101650, year: 2009, vol: 79, page: 400, stat: Journal Article,

Feasibility and impact of a school-based intervention for families of urban adolescents with asthma: results from a randomized pilot trial
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Unikel, Lynne; Gallagher, Richard; Evans, David; Colland, Vivian
2008 Mar;47(1):95-113, Family process
The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and short-term outcomes of Asthma: It's a Family Affair!, a school-based intervention for adolescents with asthma and their caregivers. Twenty-four ethnic minority families with a middle school student with asthma were randomized to immediate intervention or no-treatment control. Intervention students received six group sessions on prevention and management of asthma. Caregivers received five group sessions teaching child-rearing skills to support the youth's autonomy and asthma self-management. All students attended all sessions; caregivers attended an average of three. Two months post-intervention, relative to controls, intervention caregivers reported better problem-solving with children. Intervention students were more responsible for carrying medication, took more prevention steps, and woke fewer nights from asthma. The intervention resulted in positive short-term changes in family relations, asthma management by students, and health status
— id: 79158, year: 2008, vol: 47, page: 95, stat: Journal Article,

Using school staff to establish a preventive network of care to improve elementary school students' control of asthma
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Evans, David; Wiesemann, Sandra; Pinkett-Heller, Marcia; Levison, Moshe J; Du, Yunling; Fitzpatrick, Cecilia; Krigsman, Gary; Ramos-Bonoan, Carmen; Turner, Levonne; Mellins, Robert B
2006 Aug;76(6):307-312, Journal of school health
School-based asthma interventions delivered by nonschool staff have been successful but are limited in their reach because of the cost and effort of bringing in outside educators and their inability to establish improved communication about asthma between schools, families, and primary care providers (PCPs). To address these problems, Columbia University and the New York City Department of Education and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene undertook a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of a comprehensive school-based asthma program. In this intervention, school nurses were trained to facilitate the establishment of a preventive network of care for children with asthma by coordinating communications and fostering relationships between families, PCPs, and school personnel. PCPs also received training regarding asthma management. There was limited support for this model. While case detection helped nurses identify additional students with asthma and nurses increased the amount of time spent on asthma-related tasks, PCPs did not change their medical management of asthma. Few improvements in health outcomes were achieved. Relative to controls, 12-months posttest intervention students had a reduction in activity limitations due to asthma (-35% vs -9%, p < .05) and days with symptoms (26% vs 39%, p = .06). The intervention had no impact on the use of urgent health care services, school attendance, or caregiver's quality of life. There were also no improvements at 24-months postintervention. We faced many challenges related to case detection, training, and implementing preventive care activities, which may have hindered our success. We present these challenges, describe how we coped with them, and discuss the lessons we learned
— id: 69585, year: 2006, vol: 76, page: 307, stat: Journal Article,

Medical Schools and Centers: The Merger of Developmental Psychology and Pediatric Asthma Education
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie
Life after graduate school in psychology: Insider's advice from new psychologists New York : Psychology Press, 2005,
(from the chapter) Psychologists come in many shapes and sizes, although the popular stereotype is that of the clinician. Because of this stereotype, people are often surprised to learn that I am a developmental psychologist with a specialty in applied developmental psychology and that I am employed as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the New York University Child Study Center (NYU CSC), which is part of the Department of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine (NYU SOM). In this role I develop educational programs for parents and children and evaluate the efficacy of these programs. I am also licensed in the State of New York. If you're like the many people I encounter, you may be wondering: What is an applied developmental psychologist? What types of programs are developed in psychiatry departments? What do you do on a daily basis? How did you get involved in a medical school? In this chapter I hope to answer these questions and more by describing a research position in a medical center, which I consider a nontraditional career in academia.
— id: 3772, year: 2005, vol: , page: 59, stat: Chapter,

Medical Schools and Centers: The Merger of Developmental Psychology and Pediatric Asthma Education
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie
Life after graduate school in psychology: Insider's advice from new psychologists New York, NY, US: Psychology Press, 2005,
(from the chapter) Psychologists come in many shapes and sizes, although the popular stereotype is that of the clinician. Because of this stereotype, people are often surprised to learn that I am a developmental psychologist with a specialty in applied developmental psychology and that I am employed as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the New York University Child Study Center (NYU CSC), which is part of the Department of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine (NYU SOM). In this role I develop educational programs for parents and children and evaluate the efficacy of these programs. I am also licensed in the State of New York. If you're like the many people I encounter, you may be wondering: What is an applied developmental psychologist? What types of programs are developed in psychiatry departments? What do you do on a daily basis? How did you get involved in a medical school? In this chapter I hope to answer these questions and more by describing a research position in a medical center, which I consider a nontraditional career in academia
— id: 4710, year: 2005, vol: , page: 59, stat: Chapter,

Asthma education: the adolescent experience
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Bonner, Sebastian; Vincent, Elisa J; Sheares, Beverley J; Mellins, Robert B; Levison, Moshe J; Wiesemann, Sandra; Du, Yunling; Zimmerman, Barry J; Evans, David
2004 Dec;55(3):396-406, Patient education & counseling
Recent studies show that prevalence of asthma is higher among adolescents than children. Adolescents have poor asthma self-management skills resulting in a significant increase in the severity of asthma exacerbations and a reduction in their quality of life. Despite this, few self-management programs have been developed for adolescents. Adolescents experience developmental transitions that both hinder and facilitate asthma self-management. In this paper we discuss developmental transitions in cognition, knowledge, autonomy, identity development, and peer relations in terms of their influence on adolescents' management of asthma. Next, we describe the Asthma Self-Management for Adolescents (ASMA) program that incorporates developmental characteristics into an age-appropriate school-based asthma education program. Preliminary data is presented indicating that the program is successful in enrolling and engaging the interest of adolescents with persistent asthma
— id: 48242, year: 2004, vol: 55, page: 396, stat: Journal Article,

Quality of life in young urban children: does asthma make a difference?
Montalto, Daniela; Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Moskaleva, Galina; Higgins-D'Alessandro, Ann; Webber, Mayris P
2004 Jun;41(4):497-505, Journal of asthma
The purpose of this study was to determine whether asthma status and severity have an impact on the quality of life of urban elementary school children. Participants were 1292 caregiver-child dyads from six schools serving low-income, ethnic minority, urban families; 53% of the children were female. Caregivers provided data on the children's asthma diagnosis and frequency in the last 12 months of asthma symptoms, use of medication for asthma, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations. Using the KINDL, a generic quality of life instrument, children reported on their health-related quality of life (HRQL). Results revealed a high prevalence of current asthma (18%). No differences were found in HRQL based on having current asthma or the severity of asthma as assessed by proxy measures of health care utilization and limited functioning. These findings are consistent with previous research indicating that HRQL is influenced by several factors other than asthma status and severity. The implications of these results for intervention are discussed
— id: 74619, year: 2004, vol: 41, page: 497, stat: Journal Article,

Assessing and enhancing the research consent capacity of children and youth. [References]
Bruzzese, Jean-Marie; Fisher, Celia B.
2003 ;7(1):13-26 Jan, Applied Developmental Science
(from the journal abstract) This study examined the capacity of 291 4th, 7th, and 10th graders, as well as college students, to understand their rights in research and the extent to which this capacity can be enhanced following exposure to The Research Participants' Bill of Rights. Comprehension of the research procedures, risks and benefits, voluntary nature of participation, and confidentiality protections improved in all grades following exposure to the Bill of Rights. Fourth graders performed poorer than older respondents when asked to match rights definitions, identify true and false statements about specific research rights, and label and recognize rights violations in hypothetical research vignettes. Data suggest that 7th graders, when compared to older participants, are still struggling to understand their veto power over adult permission, their right to be protected from harm, and to be informed about research procedures and results. Overall, 10th graders' responses did not differ from adults'. Implications of the findings for informed consent procedures are discussed. (PsycIN
— id: 45409, year: 2003, vol: 7, page: 13, stat: Journal Article,

An evaluation of Open Airways for Schools: using college students as instructors
Bruzzese, J M; Markman, L B; Appel, D; Webber, M
2001 Jun;38(4):337-342, Journal of asthma
Fifteen years ago, Open Airways for Schools (OAS) was found to be an effective asthma education program for elementary school children when taught by professionals. To determine whether OAS is effective when taught by college students and whether it could withstand potential cohort effects, 54 inner-city fourth and fifth graders were taught OAS. Paired t-tests revealed that OAS improved asthma knowledge, self-efficacy, self-management skills, social support, and perception of well-being (p < 0.05). Fifteen years later OAS continues to improve children's self-management skills. Facilitators with little prior experience who received brief training in asthma knowledge and group leadership skills can effectively teach OAS
— id: 74274, year: 2001, vol: 38, page: 337, stat: Journal Article,