Dr. Kenneth Gruber (The Center for Youth, Family, and Community Partnerships) received new funding from the Greensboro Housing Coalition for the project “Build Health Challenge 3.0 Collaborative Cottage Grove.
“It is becoming widely recognized that it is important to identify social determinants of health as both causal and ameliorative factors affecting the health and welfare of children and families. Childhood asthma exacerbated by environmental conditions in the home represents a prime example of a health issue for which a solution extends beyond the doctor’s office. A partnership with the local Health Department, hospital system, safe and health housing advocates, and families living in unhealthy homes will be established to create a replicable model that can make a major impact on childhood asthma.
The goal of this project is twofold: 1) reduce the prevalence of asthma attacks (resulting in emergency department (ED) and hospital visits) among children caused by unhealthy housing conditions and 2) improve the attendance and school performance of children with asthma living in housing that may be exacerbating their asthma. To achieve this goal, the researchers will employ an intervention approach that will address the housing environments of children with asthma through family education, housing condition assessments, and remediation of asthma triggers present in the home environment. Public health nurses involved with case management of students with asthma in 10 elementary schools will provide the sampling frame for this project. Approximately 600 students attending these schools have been identified with asthma. The nurses will contact families of these children to invite them to participate in the project. Project participation will involve a healthy homes assessment, assistance with remediation of asthma trigger conditions if present, and general education about maintaining a safe and healthy home.
