MU asthma researcher presents findings to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Ben Francisco, PhD, a pediatric nurse practitioner at Children's Hospital and assistant research professor at MU's School of Medicine, recently presented findings on asthma research before the respiratory branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga.
Francisco was invited to provide an overview of Asthma ReadyTM Communities, a Missouri program aimed at improving asthma care across the state. The program introduces new equipment and practices to assist hospitals, clinics, schools and daycare centers in an effort to implement national guidelines for the management of asthma.
In Missouri, approximately 111,000 children under 18 years of age suffer from asthma. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports asthma-related problems in children resulted in an estimated 30,000 emergency room visits and 8,000 hospitalizations in 2005.
"Asthma Ready Communities is training health care professionals in urban and rural settings throughout Missouri to identify asthma symptoms and improve the capacity for delivering good asthma care," said Francisco.
Since 2005, more than 750 Missouri health care professionals have participated in special asthma training.
The Missouri Foundation for Health and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services are providing funding for Asthma Ready Communities.
