The Puerto Rico Asthma Integrated Response Program ("PR-AIR")

Overview

The purpose of this study is to adapt and deliver an evidence-based multi-level intervention to reduce asthma disparities, and that promote and improve population health in the high-burden communities of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico-Asthma Integrated Response Program (PR-AIR) will be implemented and evaluated to address pediatric asthma disparities in San Juan, PR, an area of high asthma burden. This study unfolds in two phases: In Phase 1, the researchers will collaborate with community stakeholders to identify needs, barriers and facilitators of PR-AIR implementation. Phase 2 consists of an evaluation of low-intensity (virtual) and high-intensity (in-person) methods of PR-AIR implementation outcomes using the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework and a mixed methods approach.

Detailed description

During the formative evaluation (Phase 1), the researchers will engage community stakeholders (primary caregivers of children with asthma, school personnel, asthma healthcare providers) to help identify, adapt and finalize strategies for PR-AIR implementation. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) will be used to identify barriers and facilitators of low-intensity and high-intensity implementation approaches, the Adaptome to guide intervention adaptation to the context of PR, and the CFIR-ERIC matching tool to identify strategies to support but low- and high-intensity implementation packages. Fifteen stakeholders will complete in-depth interviews early in Phase 1, and 16 will participate in two focus groups at the end of Phase 1 prior to the transition to Phase 2, in preparation for trial implementation. A collaborative of community stakeholders will be convened (the PR-AIR CC) to provide input throughout both phases of the trial.

In Phase 2 (Years 2-4) 480 urban children will be enrolled, ages 2-12 (expected retention for full protocol, n = 400) with asthma across 12 areas in San Juan with high asthma burden. Randomization is at the level of targeted geographic area, and data will be collected from groups in each of these areas over time. Individual-level (asthma control, QOL) and community-specific (ED use/hospitalizations, school absence) effectiveness outcomes will be evaluated. All families will participate in both a control (in our case, baseline period for the community indicators) and intervention (active trial). Each target area will begin with a low-intensity (virtual) implementation phase, and transition to a high-intensity implementation phase mid-year. Families enrolled in the first 5 months of the school year will receive the low-intensity intervention package, and those enrolled in the last 5 months of the school year will receive the high-intensity intervention package. Input will be collected throughout each year from community stakeholders about the trial, through in-depth interviews and surveys. Reach, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance will be measured using a mixed-methods approach at the end of each trial year (years 2 - 4). Repeated assessments will measure individual-level effectiveness outcomes (asthma control, QOL) at time points linked to the start of intervention participation; at enrollment, end of treatment (EOT; 1 - 2 months after baseline, depending on intervention assignment), and every 3 months for 1 year.

Interventions

• Behavioral CASE in person version (High Intensity Package)
  Controlling Asthma in Schools Effectively (CASE) is a multi-level school-based asthma management program delivered by a Community Health Worker (CHW) that includes 1) staff training involving education on asthma management in school, 2) child-based asthma management education with an emphasis on control of symptoms in the school setting provided in a group setting during the school day, 3) caregiver education after school involving supporting children's asthma control in the school setting, 4),
• Behavioral CASE-V remote version (Low Intensity Package)
  CASE-V, the low intensity version of CASE, includes similar child and caregiver-based asthma management education that is provided in a remote format with adaptation to integrate technological feature of Zoom. All CASE-V components (for staff, children, and parents) have been adapted to promote engagement (e.g., use of chat and polling function).
• Behavioral CASE and HARP in person (High Intensity package)
  Children with "poorly controlled" asthma will receive both the CASE and HARP programs. HARP is a home-visiting program that includes individualized asthma management education and strategies and supplies for environmental remediation. All 3 visits can be conducted by a CHW. The first includes a "walk-through" to identify triggers. Asthma education and self-management strategies are provided using a structured protocol and low-literacy flip-book (English or Spanish). Referrals and advocacy are of
• Behavioral CASE-V and HARP-V remote version (Low Intensity package)
  HARP-V replicates the content delivered in HARP in a remote format. The first session includes a virtual "walk-through" in which the educator uses a structured script and checklist to guide the caregiver through the home and show specific components of the environment (e.g., carpeting, area under the kitchen sink, exhaust fan in bathroom) to identify asthma triggers. Asthma education and self-management strategies are provided using a structured protocol and slide overview based on the HARP flip

Primary outcome measures

• Change in Child Asthma Control (Individual Level, ages 2-4 years) [Time frame: Asthma Control will be measured at baseline, End of Treatment (EOT; 1 - 2 months after baseline, depending on intervention assignment), and every 3 months for 1 year.]
• Change in Child Asthma Control (Individual Level, ages 5-11 years) [Time frame: Asthma Control will be measured at baseline, End of Treatment (EOT; 1 - 2 months after baseline, depending on intervention assignment), and every 3 months for 1 year.]
• Change in Child Asthma Control (Individual Level; ages 12 and up) [Time frame: Asthma Control will be measured at baseline, End of Treatment (EOT; 1 - 2 months after baseline, depending on intervention assignment), and every 3 months for 1 year.]
• Health Care Utilization-ED visits (Community Level) [Time frame: 12 months pre- and post-intervention year]
• Health Care Utilization-Hospitalizations (Community Level) [Time frame: 12 months pre- and post-intervention year]
• Health Care Utilization-Urgent Care Visits (Community Level) [Time frame: 12 months pre- and post-intervention year]

Secondary outcome measures (2)

• Asthma-related Quality of Life (QoL) (Individual Level) [Time frame: Asthma-related QOL will be measured at baseline, End of Treatment (EOT; 1 - 2 months after baseline, depending on intervention assignment), and every three months for 1 year.]
• School Absences (Community Level) [Time frame: 12 months pre- and post-intervention year]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Children between the ages of 2 and 12 years old
• Children must reside in one of the identified catchment areas
• Children must meet the screening criteria as having not well controlled or poorly controlled asthma

Exclusion criteria

1\. Children with complex medical conditions

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: No

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Open label

Primary purpose

Treatment

Study locations

United States · 1 center

• Rhode Island Hospital — Providence

Puerto Rico · 1 center

• Medial Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico — San Juan

Publications

• Glasgow RE, Harden SM, Gaglio B, Rabin B, Smith ML, Porter GC, Ory MG, Estabrooks PA. RE-AIM Planning and Evaluation Framework: Adapting to New Science and Practice With a 20-Year Review. Front Public Health. 2019 Mar 29;7:64. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00064. eCollection 2019. PMID 30984733
• CFIR Research Team. Strategy Design [Web]. Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research; 2019 [Available from: https://cfirguide.org/choosing-strategies/ accessed 22 November 2019.
• Chambers DA, Norton WE. The Adaptome: Advancing the Science of Intervention Adaptation. Am J Prev Med. 2016 Oct;51(4 Suppl 2):S124-31. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.05.011. Epub 2016 Jun 28. PMID 27371105
• Waltz TJ, Powell BJ, Fernandez ME, Abadie B, Damschroder LJ. Choosing implementation strategies to address contextual barriers: diversity in recommendations and future directions. Implement Sci. 2019 Apr 29;14(1):42. doi: 10.1186/s13012-019-0892-4. PMID 31036028
• Murphy KR, Zeiger RS, Kosinski M, Chipps B, Mellon M, Schatz M, Lampl K, Hanlon JT, Ramachandran S. Test for respiratory and asthma control in kids (TRACK): a caregiver-completed questionnaire for preschool-aged children. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Apr;123(4):833-9.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2009.01.058. PMID 19348922
• Liu AH, Zeiger R, Sorkness C, Mahr T, Ostrom N, Burgess S, Rosenzweig JC, Manjunath R. Development and cross-sectional validation of the Childhood Asthma Control Test. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007 Apr;119(4):817-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2006.12.662. Epub 2007 Mar 13. PMID 17353040
• Nathan RA, Sorkness CA, Kosinski M, Schatz M, Li JT, Marcus P, Murray JJ, Pendergraft TB. Development of the asthma control test: a survey for assessing asthma control. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004 Jan;113(1):59-65. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2003.09.008. PMID 14713908
• Juniper EF, Guyatt GH, Feeny DH, Ferrie PJ, Griffith LE, Townsend M. Measuring quality of life in the parents of children with asthma. Qual Life Res. 1996 Feb;5(1):27-34. doi: 10.1007/BF00435966. PMID 8901364

Identifiers

NCT: NCT05999032 · R01HL159701

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗