School-Based Preventive Asthma Care Technology: A Trial Using a Novel Technology to Improve Adherence

The goal of this new translational project is to test the feasibility and effectiveness of
implementing school-based directly observed therapy of preventive asthma medications in a
real-world setting, using state-of-the-art web-based technology for systematic screening,
electronic report generation, and communication between nurses, caregivers, and primary care
providers. With the use of a novel method to improve adherence and subsequently reduce
morbidity, the investigators hypothesize that this novel adaptation of school-based asthma
care will; 1) be feasible and acceptable among this population and among school and
community stakeholders, and 2) yield reduced asthma morbidity (symptom-free days,
absenteeism, and emergency room / urgent care use for asthma care). The investigators
anticipate that enhancing preventive healthcare for young urban children with asthma through
partnerships with the schools using a novel technology will yield improved health,
prevention of suffering, decreased absenteeism from school, and reduced healthcare costs.