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Dr Smita Shah Director Primary Health Care Education & Research Unit

Initiatives and Community Approaches. Dr Smita Shah Director Primary Health Care Education & Research Unit Sydney West Area Health Service Senior Clinical Lecturer University of Sydney Australia Smita_shah@wsahs.nsw.gov.au. Asthma in a Small World. Adolescent Asthma.

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Dr Smita Shah Director Primary Health Care Education & Research Unit

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  1. Initiatives and Community Approaches Dr Smita Shah Director Primary Health Care Education & Research Unit Sydney West Area Health Service Senior Clinical Lecturer University of Sydney Australia Smita_shah@wsahs.nsw.gov.au

  2. Asthma in a Small World

  3. Adolescent Asthma 1 in 6 adolescents 43% had asthma attacks 22% had severe limitation 22% smoked 78% missed school PG Gibson et al, 1998

  4. Triple A Program • Peer-led • Entrusts young people to take the health messages • Based on psycho-social theory • Structured program • Triple A Program Resource kit • Asthma Friendly Schools Program

  5. Medical Students Train as AAA Educators

  6. Step 1: Training Asthma Peer Leaders

  7. Step 2: Peer-led lessons Take your medication before exercise “Take that cancer stick away”

  8. Step 3: Asthma Skits

  9. Does it work? Program tested in a large randomised controlled trial ( n = 1379) Improvementsin: • Quality of Life • School absenteeism • Asthma attacks at school • Participant satisfaction Shah et al., BMJ 2001, Boulet et al., Evidence Based Medicine 2001

  10. Comments from Peer Leaders • Gained leadership skills and felt proud that I got the message across • Knowing what to do if an asthma attack occurs • How to help people with asthma • Don’t smoke if you have asthma • Organisational skills and the confidence to teach

  11. Parents & School Staff Parents “It’s great to see teenagers taking responsibility for their health” “ …. has become better at managing her asthma” “ Should be a regular program in the school” Teachers “Students are no longer embarrassed to take their medications at school” “We no longer have emergencies at school” “ Benefits for the peer leaders were enormous” “ Reduction in smoking”

  12. Summary Triple A Program • Improves QoL • Reduces asthma attacks and school absenteeism • Seen as beneficial by young people themselves • Sustainable • Currently being trialed in USA (and Jordan) • Resources soon available on Asthma Foundation of Victoria website (www.asthma.org) • Funding thanks to the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

  13. Triple A and Aboriginal Children • Hard to reach population • Can reache large numbers • Empowering • Beneficial for all involved • Promotes local leadership • Better communication skills “We got so much out of this program - and now my daughter plays netball and athletics and state championships and won a bronze medal for 700 meters”

  14. Works for us – works for you

  15. Sydney Opera House & Harbor Bridge Questions

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