The health disparities suffered by those in poorer communities 鈥� lack of transportation, education and of access to care, along with poor housing and environmental conditions 鈥� make it hard for low-income families to maintain proper and consistent treatment for chronic diseases such as asthma.
In Hamilton County, more than 36,000 children have asthma, including more than 13,000 covered by Medicaid. For years, those Medicaid children have endured poorer outcomes, including less well-controlled symptoms, more missed days of school and more frequent emergency visits.
But outcomes can be improved, according to the results from a five-year effort known as the , created by Cincinnati Children鈥檚 and a group of community groups.
Joining Cincinnati Edition to discuss the effort to improve outcomes for children with asthma in Hamilton County are Division of Pulmonary Medicine Co-Director and Director of the , Dr. Carolyn M. Kercsmar; Cincinnati Children's Director of Primary Care and School Health in the , Dr. Mona E. Mansour; and Public Health Nurse with the , Stacey Wills.
Tune in to Cincinnati Edition August 28 at 1 p.m. to hear this segment.