South Middlesex Times

In response to a series of asthma-related child fatalities in Newark, New Jersey, Rutgers Health has launched the Asthma Corps initiative. This effort is a collaboration between the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and the Rutgers Health Service Corps (RHSC), aiming to reduce preventable deaths from asthma.

Denise Rodgers, vice chancellor for interprofessional programs at Rutgers Health, stated, “No child should die from an asthma attack.” The program partners with departments of pediatrics at University Hospital and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. It also collaborates with other Rutgers Health departments to educate the community on managing pediatric asthma.

The program's objectives include teaching parents and caregivers about emergency care for uncontrolled asthma attacks and helping them manage pediatric asthma effectively. Volunteers from Asthma Corps work alongside the Greater Newark Health Care Coalition (GNHCC) to conduct training sessions both online and in-person. These sessions focus on identifying triggers, available resources for long-term care, and creating effective action plans during acute attacks.

Ebonie Steele, program manager for child and adolescent health at GNHCC, emphasized the importance of this education: “Asthma Corps’ students are teaching community members how to identify triggers, what resources are available for long-term care and how to create asthma action plans.”

Pediatric asthma remains a significant issue in urban areas across the United States due to air pollution. In Newark alone, one in four children suffers from asthma compared to the national average of one in eleven. Climate change is expected to exacerbate these conditions further.

New Jersey records annual deaths among children due to asthma complications, with higher risks faced by children of color. According to state health assessments, Black and Hispanic children have a combined mortality rate of 4.9 per 100,000 people compared to less than 1 per 100,000 for white children.

The Asthma Corps program—officially titled Clearing the AIR about Asthma: Awareness, Information and Resources—has trained approximately 100 parents and caregivers since its inception in May. John “Jack” Hemphill from Rutgers Office of Population Health noted that this initiative emerged following successful interprofessional work during COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

Vince Silenzio from Rutgers School of Public Health highlighted pharmacists' role as accessible healthcare points: “Pharmacists can often be a more convenient touchpoint in many communities.” As part of its evolution, Asthma Corps includes students from various disciplines such as nursing.

Donna Feudo expressed excitement about expanding student involvement: “As Asthma Corps matures we’re bringing in students from other programs like the School of Nursing.” She believes that interprofessional collaboration enhances learning experiences for students involved in this project.

Steele added that having pharmacy doctoral students facilitate workshops has been beneficial: “We all have the same goal –to ensure that not another child dies from asthma.”