Inner-City Asthma Study
Among poor inner-city children, asthma is more severe and less likely to receive the consistent, long-term medical treatment that more affluent families can maintain. Plus, because inner-city children tend to spend more time indoors than other children, certain indoor allergens-especially cockroaches, dust mites, pets, and mold-can greatly increase their asthma symptoms.
This study, which is taking place in seven cities nationwide, involves children ages 5 to 12 who are allergic to at least one home allergen and who have moderate to severe asthma. Researchers are studying how environmental changes and supervised medical treatments can benefit these children. One-fourth of the families in the study receive teaching and assistance in how to reduce the effects of indoor allergens on their child's asthma. Another one-fourth receive guided medical treatment from a physician. Another one-fourth receive both. And the final one-fourth continue managing their child's asthma in their usual way. After a full year, the interventions stop and the researchers study the length of time that families are able to maintain them on their own.
As a result of lessons learned during this national study, researchers hope to devise successful-and achievable-treatment plans for the families and children who need them most.
Multidisciplinary study involving: Asthma, Epidemiology, Genetics and Immunology |
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