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Urban Mold and Moisture Program

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

The Urban Mold & Moisture Program improves respiratory health of children in inner city neighborhoods by reducing mold, moisture, and asthma triggers in the home. The program uses a combined clinical and environmental approach to reduce asthma symptoms caused by the presence of mold and allergens. Symptomatic, asthmatic children aged 2-17 years living in a home with indoor mold qualify for the intervention. Participants are recruited during inpatient hospitalizations after primary care visits and emergency department visits and through referrals from community health clinics, health fairs, and general advertising. Children receive an action plan, education, and individualized problem solving. Through the program homes receive environmental interventions focused on reducing water infiltration, removing water damaged building materials, heating/ventilation/air-conditioning alterations, lead hazard control, and cleaning.

Goal / Mission

The goal of the Urban Mold and Moisture Program is to reduce environmental mold, moisture, and asthma triggers in homes to improve pediatric respiratory health.

Results / Accomplishments

In a study of 104 homes receiving environmental interventions, children with moderately severe asthma had a significant decrease in symptom score (p < 0.006) and symptom days (p < 0.003) following the remediation. Children in a control group that received only home cleaning information had no change in symptom score or number of symptom days. Following the study asthmatics receiving home interventions had a lower proportion of exacerbations when compared to the control group (1/29 vs. 11/33, p = 0.003). Children enrolled in the program without asthma had a significant decrease in upper and lower respiratory symptoms following the intervention.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital Center for Chronic Conditions of Childhood, Case School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics
Primary Contact
Carolyn Kercsmar
Department of Pediatrics
Case School of Medicine
11100 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106 USA
(216) 844-3267
carolyn.kercsmar@uhhs.com
http://www.uhhospitals.org/rainbow
Topics
Health / Children's Health
Health / Respiratory Diseases
Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Organization(s)
Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital Center for Chronic Conditions of Childhood, Case School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics
Date of publication
Oct 2006
Date of implementation
2003
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
Cuyahoga, OH
For more details
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC162639...

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  5. Asthma Basics for Children (ABC)
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Related Content for: Urban Mold and Moisture Program

An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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