November 2014
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35 Reads
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4 Citations
Clinical Pulmonary Medicine
Asthma is the most common chronic condition among young people within the USA. This review discusses pediatric asthma education and provides evidence-based recommendations for reducing the burden of asthma on health care. Within schools there is robust evidence to suggest that peer-to-peer schemes are very effective in complementing the support provided by school nurses. We report our experience using medical students in an education program. In the hospital environment, the postexacerbation period is a key educative window for both children and parents. Home education should be reserved for those children most severely affected. We believe that the strongest evidence supports a multidisciplinary approach in both school and hospital environments. The burden of asthma is greatest in the lowest socioeconomic classes and this should be reflected in the allocation of resources and asthma education; there is little evidence to suggest that this group is currently being specifically targeted. Telemedicine can facilitate personalized yet automated education including treatment plans and self-monitoring of lung function. With proven success in reducing asthma symptoms and improving quality of life, it offers an opportunity to access populations previously hard to reach. Future research needs to make direct comparisons between different forms of education. This will help justify funding decisions in this crucial area of preventative medicine.