Health
Web-based program improves asthma
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 14, 2007
Low-income high school students with asthma who participated in a specially-designed, Web-based disease-management program reported less illness than did teens who did not participate, according to a study in the May American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
The program focused on three core behaviors: controller medication adherence, rescue inhaler availability and smoking cessation or reduction.
The researchers studied 314 mostly black students at six Detroit high schools. While 162 students participated in the asthma program, 152 served as controls.
Those who followed the program reported fewer days and nights with symptoms, fewer school days missed, fewer days of restricted activity and less asthma-related hospitalization during a 12-month follow-up period, said researchers from the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/05/14/hlbf0514.htm.
