Happy Air^®, a Successful School-Based Asthma Educational and Interventional Program for Primary School Children

Abstract

Background. To investigate whether an active partnership between schools, parents, and pediatricians can improve the management of asthma and quality of life of children with asthma. Methods. A comprehensive asthma program (Happy Air^®), based on a strong family–physician–school relationship, was carried out over a period of 3 years in six primary schools (2765 children). This program provides educational intervention to families, school staff, and students, as well as the administration of written questionnaires to identify children with asthma, asthma diagnosis and management, and, last but not least, extracurricular activities to improve respiratory and psychological conditions. Quality of life of children and parents, at the beginning and end of the program, was assessed using PedsQL™ 4.0 (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory) measurement model. Result. Asthma was diagnosed in 135 children, of which 37 (27%) were diagnosed de novo. In all children, both single item and total clinical asthma scores showed a significant increase (p < .001) at the end of the Happy Air^® program. The average scores of both the total PedsQL™ 4.0 and the four Scales were significantly increased (p < .001). Conclusion. Happy Air^® is a model for a strategy of education- and school-based intervention for children with asthma and their families. This multi-action program for diagnosis, clinical follow-up, education, self-management, and quality-of-life control aims to minimize the socioeconomic burden of asthma disease.

• asthma management
• pediatric asthma
• quality of life
• school-based program

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to all children, parents, and school staff of the following schools: Don Filippo Rinaldi, Damiano Chiesa, Istituto Salesiane, Antonio De Curtis, Federico Fellini, and Bambini del Mondo of Rome, Italy, for their valuable assistance. Special thanks to Alberto De Stefano, ONLUS “Associazione volontari per il Policlinico Tor Vergata,” for the precious help to coordinate Happy Air^®; Gisella Rocca, opera singer, for professional support in school; Dr. Simonetta Roscioni for assistance with statistical analysis; Dr. Alexander Kettner for critical reading of the manuscript.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. SG and RI were financially supported by the Master in “Advanced Pediatric Allergy and Immunology” for the clinical care of the patients.