Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center
Pediatric Asthma Disparities: Perception and Management
Principal Investigator
Gregory Fritz, MD
Funding Sources
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Description
The Rhode Island Puerto Rico Asthma Center (RIPRAC) is a joint effort by researchers at Brown Medical School/Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the University of Puerto Rico to understand the factors behind major disparities in asthma prevalence and morbidity between Latinos and non-hispanic Caucasian children.
The subjects are 900 Puerto Rican, Dominican and non-hispanic Caucasian children with asthma and their caretakers who participate in a 4-month protocol at either site. The study has 4 broad aims: 1) to evaluate potential diagnostic disparities through provision of a standardized, comprehensive diagnostic evaluation in PR and RI; 2) to understand family asthma management issues as they are affected by cultural factors; 3) to determine the impact of health care access, provider, and system differences on asthma disparities; and 4) to assess symptom perception and recognition and potential cultural influences on this critical process.
Significance
Pediatric asthma, the most common chronic illness of childhood, is increasing in prevalence, morbidity and mortality – particularly among minority children. The findings from this major study will provide the basis for interventions to reduce the disparities by targeting the causative factor(s).
Find out more: Please contact
us for more
information about the center and our research.
Back |
