Virtual Home Visits Reduce Asthma Burden in Low-Income, Black Communities amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives: Pilot an asthma virtual home visits program, and evaluate its reach and ability to promote asthma self-management strategies in underserved communities. Methods: Participants were continuously recruited into the 3-month-long program starting March 2021 and provided with materials related to asthma education. Participants reporting poorly-controlled asthma and home-based triggers were also offered three virtual home visits with a respiratory therapist. All participants were asked to complete a pre- and post-intervention knowledge test and Asthma Control Test (ACT), and a final survey assessing perceptions regarding asthma management and environmental trigger reduction. Results: As of October 2022, 147 participants were enrolled, and 51 had consented and received at least one virtual home visit. Approximately 77% of virtual visit recipients were children, 76% were non-Hispanic blacks, and 90% were from "extremely low" or "low" income families. Asthma symptoms improved across the whole group, with a median increase of 2.39 points on the ACT score. Knowledge tests revealed that 86% of participants learned about at least one new asthma trigger, with a larger fraction of virtual visit recipients (68% vs. 36% non-recipients) showing an improved score post-intervention. About 75% of participants reported feeling more empowered to take control of their asthma after participating in the program, and reported a significant improvement in their quality of life due to asthma. Conclusions: The program successfully provided virtual asthma education to underserved, at-risk communities, and improved asthma outcomes for participants. Similar virtual models can be used to promote health equity, especially in areas with limited access to healthcare.