CAReS Program: Improved Asthma Outcomes for At-Risk Youth

School-based, pharmacist-led interdisciplanary health care delivery programs can help provide comprehensive asthma care to at-risk pediatric populations, according to study results published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.¹

The CAReS program, established in Pennsylvania in school systems to serve underserved children, is pharmacist-led and combats health care disparities in the pediatric population.

Using data retrieved from the program, researchers aimed to investigate the program’s impact. The elements reviewed included follow-up appointment attendance, the delivery of guideline-based care, asthma control, asthma morbidity, and asthma-related knowledge and the children’s quality of life.

The study evaluated 50 children (mean age, 8.9±1.7 years; 52% boys) with asthma from 6 elementary schools from September 2014 to December 2017. The children evaluated completed 5 visits over a 3-month period, withA 100% show rate was achieved in 92% of participants. Fifty-six percent of children were African American and had a life-time exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and . 53.1% a high body mass index.

At baseline, 57.1% of children had persistent asthma. In these children, only 21.4% were prescribed controller therapy at baseline, which improved to 78.5% upon matriculation. Asthma control significantly improved, and the reduction in patients who required an emergency department visit after enrollment was also significant—31.3% to 14.6%.

The goal of 100% treatment plan knowledge was achieved in 67% in parents within 1 month and increased from 6% to 60% in children over 3 months. Asthma-related quality of life also significantly improved.

Study limitations included the number of children and caregivers who did not complete the required surveys at 1 or more follow-up visits, and an inability to demonstrate improved medication compliance.

“Asthma control and reduced morbidity in high-risk pediatric patients is achievable as demonstrated by our study,” the researchers concluded. “Our findings support the feasibility and value of [a] pharmacist-let, interdisciplinary school-based health care delivery model in providing comprehensive asthma care to at-risk pediatric populations.”

Reference

1. Elliott [LB4] JP, Morphew T, Gentile D, Williams P, Barrett C, Sossong N. Improved asthma outcomes among at-risk children in a pharmacist-led, interdisciplinary school-based health clinic: A pilot study of the CAReS Program. J Am Pharm Assoc. Published online November 10, 2021. doi:10.1016/j.japh.2021.11.09