District Heights

This research focuses on reducing asthma symptoms among low-income preschool minority children by implementing a multilevel asthma education program in community settings. The study aims to address gaps in how to best scale and sustain effective asthma interventions within organizations like Head Start, which serves over one million low-income children in the US annually. The project evaluates strategies to tailor and implement the ABC Asthma program in partnership with Head Start stakeholders to improve child health and reduce school absences due to asthma. The program will be implemented by the YMCA of Central Maryland across 40 Head Start sites located in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, and Prince George's County. The study examines both staff and organizational factors that affect the implementation of the asthma education program. It seeks to develop tailored strategies for sustainable integration of ABC Asthma into community organizations serving at-risk children. Participants include Head Start staff members and caregivers of children currently enrolled in Head Start with asthma. During the study, participants will provide consent and may be audio recorded. The main outcome measured is the reduction in school absences caused by asthma symptoms over five years. The study also looks at implementation outcomes and other health results related to the tailored asthma education program.