Asthma Action Plans (AAPs) are written plans developed specifically for each patient in partnership with the health care provider, providing instructions for asthma management ranging from daily actions, such as what kind of medication to take and when, to guidance on when to call your doctor or go to the emergency room. These plans are a key component of helping bring a patient’s asthma under control—and keeping it that way.
And when the plans are not understood, the result can mean increased visits to the emergency department and hospitalizations, which are a strain and financial drain on families and health care providers, not to mention the physical and emotional toll that they take on the person with asthma.
These resources include a Spanish-language Asthma Action Plan, and seek to train both the Latino parents of children with asthma and the community health workers/promotores who reach many of them.