Asthma Learning Project

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect on knowledge and behavior of playing an educational asthma computer game during a pediatric Emergency Department (ED) asthma visit among children ages 7 - 15 years. The ED cares for a high-risk population of children who have difficulty accessing preventive care well. The addition of a computer game to usual asthma emergency care could be a simple, effective, enjoyable way to improve patients' asthma knowledge, beliefs, and management practices. This project has the potential to lead to larger studies evaluating the benefit of education with and without behavioral interventions such as motivational interviewing.

This project plans to implement and evaluate the use of a goal setting activity and the educational asthma computer game, "Quest for the Code" (Starlight Starbright Children's FoundationTM), in the ED of Seattle Children's Hospital. In a randomized trial of Spanish and English speaking children ages 7 - 15 years receiving ED care for their asthma, the investigators will evaluate the effects of the game on children's asthma knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

The investigators aim to compare the change in asthma knowledge and locus of control after 3 months, for children who play the computerized asthma game, versus those who receive standard care in the ED. The investigators will also compare changes in asthma severity and activity limitations over 3 months, for children who play the asthma game without goal-setting, children who playing the game with goal-setting, and children who receive standard care.

Overall, the investigators hypothesize that educational asthma game play by pediatric patients with acute asthma will improve asthma knowledge, compared with standard care.

Conditions

• Asthma

Interventions

OTHER

Educational game

"Quest for the Code" is an educational asthma computer game. Participants randomized to this intervention will have access to the game for a minimum of one hour while receiving treatment in the Seattle Children's Emergency Department.

OTHER

Educational game + motivational interview

"Quest for the Code" is an educational asthma computer game. Participants randomized to this intervention will have access to this game for a minimum of one hour while receiving treatment in the Seattle Children's Emergency Department (ED).Before leaving the ED, participants in this group will have a brief asthma goal setting activity using motivational interview techniques.

OTHER

Motivational interview

Participant randomized to this group will receive standard care for the treatment of their asthma, including an education asthma booklet developed by Seattle Children's. Before leaving the ED, participants in this group will have a brief asthma goal setting activity using motivational interview techniques.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Seattle Children's Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Julie Brown, MD, MPH · Seattle Children's Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

7 Years

Max Age

15 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2008-12-31

Primary Completion

2013-01-31

Completion

2013-05-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations