Role of asthma camp in improving the overall health of children with asthma

Abstract

This study sought to evaluate the benefit of asthma camp for patients who attended Baylor Scott & White McLane Children's Medical Center's Camp Wheeze Away in July 2016. Data were collected on children aged 8 to 15 years who were diagnosed with asthma and attended asthma camp. Information on body mass index, hospital admissions, and emergency department visits was collected 1 year before and 1 year after camp. Asthma control tests, exhaled nitric oxide tests, and pulmonary function tests were administered at the beginning and end of camp. A total of 34 children with asthma (mean age 11 [±2] years) were included in this study. Postcamp asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits decreased. Mean asthma control scores improved from 20.4 (±3.2) before camp to 23.4 (±2.8) after camp (P < 0.0001). Forced expiratory volume during the first breath and forced expiratory flow at 25% to 75% of the pulmonary volume improved during the weeklong camp (P ¼ 0.04 and 0.0007, respectively). Forced expiratory volume during the first breath further improved 6 to 12 months after camp compared to values before camp (P ¼ 0.047). Exhaled nitric oxide levels improved from the first to last day of camp by decreasing an average of 39% (P ¼ 0.0009). This study showed the positive effect that a short-term educational intervention in a camp setting had on asthma control scores and asthma knowledge.

Effects of an Asthma Education Camp Program on Quality of Life and Asthma Control among Thai Children with Asthma: A Quasi-Experimental Study

“…Children who attend asthma camps are less likely to be hospitalized, visit emergency departments, or have school absenteeism [ 10 ]. Previous research on the effects of asthma educational camps indicates that clinical status has a greater effect than QoL status [ 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Many studies evaluated the effect of asthma educational camps using measures such as pre–post C-ACT scores, pulmonary function, exercise-related dyspnea score, and analog wellbeing score [ 10 , 11 ].…”

A pediatric asthma camp experience during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

“…FENO has been shown to decrease in children who attend summer asthma camps. 4 The low mean baseline FENO could represent potentially improved asthma control, reduced triggers, and medication adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic. 5 Our study should be interpreted in the context of several potential limitations.…”