case study
School Asthma Program Evaluation
We evaluated a youth asthma control program for over nine years
Client: Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
The Issue
Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States.
It can cause serious health problems, and is a major contributor to school absence and poor academic performance.
Despite effective treatments, too many young people suffer from uncontrolled asthma.
The Outcomes
We evaluated large-scale asthma control programs for 2,500+ students over nine years.
The interventions led to reduction in asthma symptoms and school absences due to asthma.
Publications
Outcomes From a Cross-Site Evaluation of a Comprehensive Pediatric Asthma Initiative Incorporating Translation of Evidence-Based Interventions.
Mansfield C, Viswanathan M, Woodell C, Montoya J, et. al. Health Promotion Practice. 2011;12(6 Suppl 1):34S-51S.
Desired Attributes and Skills of Program Managers in Translation of Evidence-Based Interventions.
Williams R, Woodell C, McCarville E, Damitz M, Banks T, Montoya J, Lesch JK, Peretz P, Lara M. Health Promotion Practice. 2011;12(1):82S-90S.
Addressing Asthma in Public School Students
In Los Angeles County, 14% of children have asthma, and asthma leads to nearly 20,000 emergency room visits each year in young people. Despite effective treatments and strategies to control asthma triggers, many children endure uncontrolled asthma.
In 2005, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) District Nursing Services enlisted the assistance of Dr. Montoya (services were provided through Sentient Research beginning in 2007) to evaluate an integrated series of large-scale asthma control programs for over 2,500 elementary, middle school, and high school students. Through these interventions, district nurses made home visits and provided education and mitigation supplies to youth with asthma and their parents.
We evaluated this project from 2005 through 2014, using a longitudinal design. We wrote detailed monthly and annual reports for the LAUSD and program funders, which included performance indicators and suggestions for program improvement. Additionally, we provided technical assistance in preparing manuscripts for publication in academic journals and presented evaluation results at meetings and conferences hosted by the funder.