RHA developed its validated, Fight Asthma Now© and an accompanying Asthma Management program for adult caregivers of children with asthma including parents, school staff, day care providers, and park district staff. The goal of these programs is to better arm children with asthma and their adult caregivers the health education necessary to control the disease, thereby reducing asthma emergencies and school absenteeism, and improving their quality of life.
Fight Asthma Now© meets the specific needs of Chicago’s diverse communities. Based on guidelines from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP), Fight Asthma Now© was developed with input from pediatricians, respiratory therapists, community educators and parents of children with asthma. Fight Asthma Now© covers content set forth in the NAEPP guidelines including: how to identify asthma symptoms, how to avoid asthma triggers, and proper medication technique. Fight Asthma Now© is an educational program for youth (3rd to 6th grade) and teens (7th to 12th grades) with asthma. The program includes culturally appropriate visual, auditory and experiential learning through diagrams and photographs, demonstrations, group discussion and individual reflection. All participants receive a free workbook, which includes an asthma action plan and a free spacer as enduring resources.
Asthma Management is RHA’s free, one-hour educational program developed for adult caregivers, including, parents, caregivers, school staff, community groups, and daycare providers. Consistent with NAEPP guidelines, the program aims to help them better recognize and more effectively support children living with asthma. RHA’s Asthma Management program is tailored to meet the needs of each audience. Asthma Management for Parents is available in both English and Spanish.
To date, more than 15,000 students have been reached with Fight Asthma Now© and more than 33,000 adult caregivers have been educated through RHA’s Asthma Management throughout Chicagoland. RHA collaborates with a variety of community and government partners including Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Chicago Park District (CPD) and Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) to reach communities with high burden of asthma.