Effect of weatherization combined with community health worker in-home education on asthma control

J. Breysse, S. Dixon, J. Gregory, D.E. Jacobs and J. Krieger

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 1, e57-e64

Abstract: Objectives: We assessed the benefits of adding weatherization-plus-health interventions to an in-home, community health worker (CHW) education program on asthma control. Methods: Weusedaquasi-experimentaldesigntocompare studygroup homes (n = 34) receiving CHW education and weatherization-plus-health structural interventions with historical comparison group homes (n = 68) receiving only education. Data were collected in King County, Washington, from October 2009 to September 2010. Results: Over the 1-year study period, the percentage of study group children with not-well-controlled or very poorly controlled asthma decreased more than the comparison group percentage (100% to 28.8% vs 100% to 51.6%; P =.04). Study group caregiver quality-of-life improvements exceeded comparison group improvements (P =.002) by 0.7 units, a clinically important difference. The decrease in study home asthma triggers (evidence of mold, water damage, pests, smoking) was marginally greater than the comparison group decrease (P =.089). Except for mouse allergen, the percentage of study group allergen floor dust samples at or above the detection limit decreased, although most reductions were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Combining weatherization and healthy home interventions (e.g., improved ventilation, moisture and mold reduction, carpet replacement, and plumbing repairs) with CHW asthma education significantly improves childhood asthma control.

Keywords: adolescent; asthma; child; environmental exposure; ethnology; female; health auxiliary; health education; housing; human; interview; male; organization and management; preschool child; propensity score; United States; weather; article; asthma; environmental exposure; health education; organization and management; United States, Adolescent; Asthma; Child; Child, Preschool; Community Health Workers; Environmental Exposure; Female; Health Education; Housing; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Propensity Score; Washington; Weather, Adolescent; Asthma; Child; Child, Preschool; Community Health Workers; Environmental Exposure; Female; Health Education; Housing; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Propensity Score; Washington; Weather (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301402_9

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301402

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