DESIGN NARRATIVE:

Two-hundred-forty children, 6 to 17 years of age, were recruited to participate in the study. Following the collection of baseline data, all families in the study received standard environmental control education prior to randomization to the control or experimental group. This education provided parents and children with information about such topics as the child's sensitivity profile, the relationship between exposure to allergens and asthma, and the risks of passive smoking. All families were given information on how to receive environmental control aids and services available by mail at no or reduced costs.

Once families were randomized, those in the control group received no additional intervention. Those in the experimental group received a home-based allergen control intervention delivered by trained environmental counselors. Primary outcomes were changes in asthma-related quality of life and changes in targeted allergen levels in the home. Secondary outcome measures included self-efficacy for environmental allergy control, FEV1, and parent-reported health care utilization.