Web-Based and Tailored Asthma Management Intervention (Puff City) in Teens With Asthma Attending Urban Clinics

Asthma continues to be a major public health problem in the US with high economic and social costs. Vulnerable ethnic communities are disproportionately affected by asthma as demonstrated by higher morbidity and mortality for these groups. We have completed two school-based, randomized trials of a web-based, computer-tailored asthma management intervention that targets urban teens (Puff City).

The current study, Puff City in the Clinic, will be evaluated as a clinical tool by initiating the web-based behavioral intervention of asthma management in a clinical setting. However, the current paradigm for conducting such a trial is costly with respect to patient recruitment, intervention delivery, and data collection and management. To address these high costs, the study utilizes comparative effectiveness research (CER) pragmatic approaches to design a randomized controlled trial for patient recruitment and determination of eligibility, study monitoring (compliance with study regimen, participant retention and follow-up), and collection of clinical endpoints.

Inclusion criteria

• 13-19 years of age
• Must be able to provide electronic assent and have consent from a parent/guardian if applicable
• Diagnosis of asthma by meeting one of the following criteria within the last 12 months:

• At least one emergency department diagnosis of asthma or
• At least one acute inpatient encounter with asthma as the principal diagnosis or
• At least four outpatient visits with an asthma diagnosis and at least 2 asthma medications dispensed or
• At least four asthma medications dispensed

Exclusion criteria

• Inability to provide informed consent/assent
• Lack of physician diagnosis of asthma
• Other co-morbidities that make it impossible for the individual to participate.