Intensive Asthma Program Improves Access, Reduces Hospitalizations in Rural Areas

The comprehensive, evidence-based Asthma Care from Home project was deemed feasible and acceptable for improving pediatric asthma care in rural locales, according to a study published in Respiratory Medicine.¹ Placing a deeper focus on workforce development, digital health and care continuity were key factors in establishing a framework for improved services surrounding pediatric disease management.

“Children with chronic conditions are challenged to cope with the psychosocial impact of their chronic condition on their lives as well as their peer differences while learning self-management skills,” wrote the authors of a study published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing.² “To that end, innovative pediatric nursing interventions for children with chronic conditions may decrease the psychosocial impact of chronic conditions, as well as improve children’s adaptation and coping ability with their chronic condition and self-management.”

According to the Society of Pediatric Psychology, asthma is the most common pediatric chronic disease, affecting over 8% of all children in the US.³ With its significant prominence, there are a slew of therapies available for treating asthma, including quick-relief medications like short-acting beta2-agonists and long-term controls like corticosteroids and long-acting beta2-agonists.⁴

However, adherence rates for pediatric asthma medications can range anywhere from 33.8% to 85.5% of the population. In turn, this has made health care professionals’ (HCPs) approach toward treating asthma focus on a variety of factors such as patient and family education, adherence, asthma management, and the providers themselves.³

READ MORE: SMART Treatment for Asthma Reduces Cost and Improves Outcomes

“Health care professionals (HCP) play a central role in pediatric asthma management, yet individual and system-level factors prevent consistent delivery of evidence-based asthma care,” wrote the authors of the current study.¹ “Despite widely available clinical practice guidelines, their translation into routine practice remains inconsistent due to practitioner challenges like knowledge gaps, personal perspectives, and varying confidence in pediatric asthma management.”

With such a prominent condition requiring both short- and long-term care, providers’ opinions and interventions can vary significantly. This phenomenon, as well as previous evidence, has led researchers to explore a more novel approach toward treating and, more importantly, managing pediatric asthma: the Asthma Care from Home project.

The Asthma Care from Home Project

This program was developed in New South Wales (NSW) and was designed to address childhood health disparities through intensive interventions specifically focused on reducing hospitalizations. It was aimed at children 5-12 in rural locations that have reported asthma exacerbations. Pediatric participants were given an asthma discharge resource pack and post-discharge communication, while children with uncontrolled asthma were later referred to a nurse-led follow-up.

“While previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of comprehensive models of care, their successful integration into routine clinical practice depends on HCPs’ acceptance and adoption,” they continued.¹ “This study explored HCP experiences in implementing the Asthma Care from Home project’s asthma care model, examining its acceptability in rural and regional settings and identifying factors that facilitate or hinder integration into routine practice.”

Exploring acceptability and implementation factors, researchers assessed the program through conducting interviews and focus groups with HCPs from 13 different hospitals in NSW. Through virtual meetings with HCPs, researchers reported on their perspectives regarding the appropriateness of the Asthma Care from Home project as well as its acceptability, factors moderating its implementation, and general strategies.

The Feasibility of Comprehensive Asthma Care

The final analysis included 25 HCPs who participated in 8 interview and 5 focus group sessions. Among responses from participants, the researchers uncovered 3 distinct themes in the use of the Asthma Care from Home program: acceptability, standardization, and transitioning to standard practice.

“HCPs found the asthma care model acceptable and appropriate, particularly the virtual home visits that enabled local nursing staff to deliver asthma education and post-hospital discharge follow-up care while overcoming geographical barriers,” wrote the authors.¹ “Those interviewed also believed the model addressed a key challenge of inconsistent guideline adherence and variable clinical care.”

Among the 3 themes uncovered, HCPs gave researchers the pronounced benefits of the program as well as challenges that need to be addressed. For the theme of acceptability, participants reported that standardized resources were valued in improving care consistency, but challenges arose regarding parental engagement, practitioner accessibility, and workforce instability.

For standardization, HCPs said that the “model achieved consistent, equitable care with improved guideline adherence and enhanced hospital-community collaboration, strengthening HCP confidence and parent knowledge.” Finally, in the transition to standard practice, participants advocated for digital resources and greater provider integration, highlighting a potential opportunity for pharmacists to provide deeper insights and greater improvements in care continuity.

“Providers demonstrated willingness to adopt evidence-based innovations when supported by practical pathways for sustainable local implementation,” they concluded.¹ “Emphasizing workforce development, digital accessibility, and care consistency offers a potential framework for rural health services seeking to improve pediatric chronic disease management within existing constraints.”

READ MORE: Asthma Resource Center

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REFERENCES

1. Mackle R, Crespo-Gonzalez C, Gray M, et al. Implementing enhanced paediatric asthma care in rural Australia: qualitative insights from healthcare professionals. Respir Med. 2025;249:108444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2025.108444

2. Christian BJ. Translational research – perspectives of children with chronic conditions about coping with psychosocial impact and self-management interventions. J Pediatr Nurs. 2025;85:840-843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2025.10.014

3. Kelleher J, Duncan C. Fact sheet: childhood asthma. Society of Pediatric Psychology. January 2020. Accessed February 10, 2026. https://pedpsych.org/fact_sheets/childhood_asthma/

4. Asthma in children: symptoms, causes & treatment. Cleveland Clinic. January 18, 2023. Accessed February 10, 2026. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6776-asthma-in-children#management-and-treatment