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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT01783028

Home-Based Asthma Support and Education for Adults

This study tests the hypothesis that community health workers providing home visits to provide education and support for self-management of asthma, assessment of the home for environmental triggers, resources for asthma control, and assistance in effective communication with medical providers over the course of one year would reduce asthma morbidity, asthma-related urgent health care use and exposure to indoor asthma triggers among low income adults with not well controlled asthma.

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Key information

Conditions

Asthma Bronchial Diseases Hypersensitivity Hypersensitivity, Immediate Immune System Diseases Lung Diseases Lung Diseases, Obstructive Respiratory Hypersensitivity Respiratory Tract Diseases

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Public Health - Seattle & King County

Seattle, Washington, 98104, United States

About this study

We used a randomized controlled parallel group design to compare the intervention to a usual-care control group. We attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention in the "real world," rather than its ideal efficacy.

The CHWs used protocols that specified education content, participant skill development and participant and CHW actions. The CHWs modified their approach to meet the priorities of participants using motivational interviewing techniques. They addressed asthma patho-physiology, reliever and controller medication use, self-monitoring, use of an asthma action plan, environmental assessment, trigger avoidance, effective use of the health care system, successful communication with health care providers, and weight control (obesity is associated with increased asthma symptoms). Participants also received low-literacy educational materials, in English or Spanish. The education concepts and environmental assessment activities were based on our prior healthy homes work modified for adults.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • residence of King County Washington
  • household income below the 250% of the 2007 federal poverty level
  • had "not well controlled asthma" or "very poorly controlled asthma"

Exclusion criteria

  • speak a language other than English or Spanish
  • no permanent housing

Treatment and study plan

Community Health Worker Support

Behavioral

For the intervention group, a trained Community Health Worker (CHW) provided education, support and service coordination through home visits. The CHW first made an in home assessment visit. At the assessment visit, the participant had the opportunity to ask questions and sign written consent. During this visit, the CHW assessed the participant's knowledge of asthma, current status of asthma control, challenges with controlling asthma, self-management practices and exposure to asthma triggers. After enrollment, the participant received up to four follow-up educational visits 0.5, 1.5, 3.5 and 7 months later. In addition to scheduled visits, the CHWs worked with their participants on an as-needed basis via telephone, email, or additional home visits.

Other names: CHW intervention

Primary outcomes

  1. asthma symptom-free days during the last two weeks

    Time frame: baseline and 12 months after enrollment

    Asthma symptoms are evaluated using the following questions:

    • During the past 14 days (that is, during the past fourteen 24 hour periods that include daytime and nighttime), on how many DAYS did you have any asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, waking up at night because of asthma symptoms, or slowing down of usual activities because of asthma?
    • During the DAYTIME in the past 14 days, how many DAYS did you have asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, cough, tightness in the chest, or shortness of breath?
    • During the past 14 days, how many days did you have to slow down or stop your usual activities because of asthma, wheezing or tightness in the chest, or cough?
    • During the NIGHTTIME in the past 14 nights, how many NIGHTS did you WAKE UP because of asthma, wheezing, cough, tightness in the chest, or shortness of breath?.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Asthma-related quality of life score during the last two weeks

    Time frame: baseline and 12 months after enrollment

    Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire

    http://www.qoltech.co.uk/aqlq.html

Other outcomes

  1. health care utilization

    Time frame: baseline and 12 months after enrollment

    health care utilization includes asthma-related hospitalization, emergency department visit, and unscheduled clinic visit during the past 12 months

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Public Health - Seattle and King County

Other Gov

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

Registry information

Acronym: HomeBase

Important dates

Study start
2008
Primary completion
2011
Study completion
2011
First posted
Feb 4, 2013
Registry last updated
May 12, 2014

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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