Asthma and Technology in Emerging African American Adults

Asthma causes substantial morbidity and mortality in the United States, particularly among African American emerging adults (AAEA; ages 18-30), but very few asthma programs have targeted this population. Interventions that provide education and address underlying motivation for managing asthma may be most effective. However, face-to-face interventions are often difficult to implement, especially among emerging adults. Mobile asthma management interventions may help improve asthma control and allow people to live healthier lives. During this project, the research team will use an innovative strategy to develop a mobile asthma management intervention using the most effective combination of a smart phone app delivering personalized asthma information (MES), nurse-delivered asthma education (SA), text messaging (SMS), and physical activity tracking (PAT). The purpose of this proposal is to develop an effective mHealth intervention to improve asthma management and asthma control in AAEA. Investigators will assess the ability of multiple technologic components to assist and improve traditional asthma education. Upon completion of the study, investigators will have an empirically-supported mobile asthma management intervention to improve asthma control for AAEA. It is hypothesized that post-intervention, participants with uncontrolled asthma will show clinically-significant improvement in asthma control and improvements in asthma management behaviors, quality of life, symptoms, adherence, and exacerbations will also be observed.