The process of communicating complex information for successful asthma management can be very difficult. A portion of poor health outcomes for children with asthma may be explained by low health literacy. In an effort to improve health literacy, new video-based materials – Teaming Up for Asthma Control – have been developed by the University of Missouri in partnership with the Missouri Asthma Prevention and Control Program. This project involves testing and evaluating new materials with parent/caregiver-child pairs. The goals of this project are:
* Provide practitioner, parent/caregiver, and patient feedback to improve ongoing development of health literacy materials for asthma.
* Support school nurses fulfill Standards of School Nursing Practice #13 (National Association of School Nurses & American Nurses Association) regarding the roles and responsibility of the school nurse in research.
Each student receives a free DVD which introduces asthma key messages: 1) airflow must be measured to know how much asthma is limiting breathing; 2) special medicines that are breathed deeply into the lungs everyday to control asthma symptoms; 3) breathing medicines into the lungs is a skill that requires practice and coaching; 4) avoiding triggers can keep asthma from getting worse. These messages directly support a partnership between the school nurse, student with asthma, and their parents/caregivers, a partnership aimed at improving adherence and effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids.
If you would like to do this project, please contact Dr. Ben Francisco at University of Missouri to receive a packet that includes a DVD, printed copies of worksheets, and evaluation forms.
