Asthma affects 10% of Georgia’s children and is the number one reason for admission to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The Asthma Management Education Program, made possible through grant funding and generous donations, was initiated in 2002 to promote the health of school-age children with asthma by increasing asthma knowledge in the professionals who care for Georgia’s students.
The Asthma Management Education Program offers:
• on-site presentations on asthma management at metro Atlanta schools
• Asthma Educator Training, a “train the trainer” program, for school nurses, clinic workers and health professionals that provides a teaching tool, Asthma-What You Need to Know flipchart, for educating children, parents and staff on asthma management
• annual statewide Asthma in School-Age Children Conference for school and health professionals
• statewide distribution of asthma education resources to school professionals.
The program also provides asthma equipment to school nurses in metro Atlanta, as funds allow, supporting asthma care and management in students with special medical and financial needs.
Since inception, the program has educated over 7,000 school and health professionals from around the state.
Program results from 2005 include:
• 1,949 professionals received asthma management education
• over 650 asthma devices and equipment were provided
• nearly 120,000 asthma education resources were distributed across the state
• a 19% average increase in knowledge levels of Asthma Educator Training participants as measured though pre/post testing
Please visit www.choa.org/asthma to learn more about asthma and to download resources on asthma, triggers and protecting children from air pollution.
For more information, please contact Monica Sutherland, Program Coordinator
at monica.sutherland@choa.org or 404-785-7240.