Project Grant 20223353037069

ASTHMA IS THE MOST COMMON CHRONIC CHILDHOOD DISEASE AND AFFECTS BETWEEN 11-19% OF CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS IN THE U.S. ANNUALLY, DIRECT AND INDIRECT COSTS IN THE U.S. ARE ESTIMATED AS $3K PER PATIENT AND $56B TOTAL. RURAL PEDIATRIC ASTHMA PREVALENCE IS SIMILAR TO URBAN POPULATIONS. STILL, IT DIFFERS IN EXPOSURE TO SMALL AND LARGESCALE FARMING EQUIPMENT, ALLERGENS, HOUSING QUALITY, AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND CARETAKERS WHO DO NOT FOLLOW ASTHMA MANAGEMENT GUIDELINE UPDATES. THESE FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES, EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS, HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND POSSIBLE MISDIAGNOSIS. ACCESS TO PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY CARE CAN IMPROVE ASTHMA OUTCOMES, BUT RURAL AREAS ARE UNDERSERVED. TELEMEDICINE ENABLES ACCESS TO SPECIALISTS BUT ADDS CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGES BECAUSE PHYSICAL EXAMS ARE NOT POSSIBLE; CLINICIANS ARE ALMOST ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON REPORTS FROM CAREGIVERS.THE PROJECT FINANCING WILL BE USED TO A) SURVEY RURAL CLINICIANS TO DETERMINE POTENTIAL SMARTPHONE APP IMPACT ON PEDIATRIC RESPIRATORY CARE AND DISTILL THOSE RESULTS INTO A WORD DOCUMENT AND EXCEL SPREADSHEET, B) DEFINE SMARTPHONE APP DESIGN PARAMETERS USING INFORMATION RESULTING FROMAN INTERVIEW OF A PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGIST, C) DESIGN A LOOKS-LIKE MODEL OF APP SCREENS AND LOGIC USING POWERPOINT SOFTWARE, AND D) BUILD AN ANDROID AND IOS SMARTPHONE APP USING HYBRID APP DESIGN SOFTWARE TOOLS.THE ANTICIPATED GRANT RESULT IS DOCUMENTATION OF HOW THE APP WILL IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF ASTHMA CARE DELIVERY IN RURAL AREAS AND A SMARTPHONE APP READY FOR A CLINICAL STUDY. THE ULTIMATE AND LONGER-TERM GOAL OF THE APP IS TO PROVIDE PARENTS WITH A WAY TO COLLECT RESPIRATORY DATA THE CLINICIAN CAN USE TO MAKE OUTCOME-BASED THERAPEUTIC DECISIONS. THE APP IS INDICATED FOR CHILDREN WHO CANNOT UNDERGO LUNG FUNCTION TESTING, COMMUNICATE SYMPTOMS, AND THOSE ALREADY DIAGNOSED WITH ASTHMA FOR THERAPY OPTIMIZATION AND SYMPTOM TRACKING.