A New Research Study Will Use Mobile Phones to Try and Better Understand Asthma

Asthma is the most prevalent chronic illness in childhood in the U.S. Adherence to prescribed controller medication for those with persistent subtypes of asthma is low among adolescents, according to Rachel Sweenie, a graduate student working on this study. This study is important to the community because the pediatric pulmonary clinic sees many adolescents with asthma from Gainesville and surrounding communities in North Central Florida, Sweenie said.

Mobile technology is a promising tool to address medication non-adherence during adolescence, Sweenie said.  This study uses mobile inhaler tracking and daily smartphone surveys to examine the relationship between mood, stress, and asthma medication adherence among adolescents. Findings from the study will be used to develop an interactive app for adolescents with asthma.

The study is available to adolescents age 13-17 (or parents with adolescents age 13-17) with persistent asthma.

“HealthStreet is helping to get word out about this project to families in the community,” Sweenie said.