BACKGROUND:

Because of New Mexico's large rural and heavily Hispanic population, it was an ideal setting to determine effective methods for case management, self-management educational programs and effective tertiary to primary care delivery collaboration.

The study was part of a demonstration and education initiative "Interventions for Control of Asthma Among Black and Hispanic Children" which was released by the NHLBI in June 1989.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

A randomized block design was used with random assignment of subjects by county to treatment groups of 1. comprehensive medical care or standard tertiary care and education, or 2. CMC-Plus adding a structured self-management program--Open Airways/Respiro Abierto (developed and tested with support of NHLBI). CMC-Plus also received in home education and intervention from community based Hispanic family educators trained in an empowerment model of family intervention, in-home support, and education. Case management was provided by CMS; CMC and CMC-Plus were provided at the UNM-PPP in close collaboration with and transfer of care to the primary physician. Additional educational contact with primary care providers and emergency rooms were provided through the UNM Department of Family, Community & Emergency Medicine which utilized the National Institutes of Health National Asthma Education Program's Guidelines for Step-Wise Care of Asthma. Asthma morbidity, cost of care, family adaptation and family satisfaction were evaluated using standardized instruments.