New Free Home Visit Program Helps Chicagoans with Asthma Live Better

Help is here this holiday season for Chicago families whose children have poorly controlled asthma, persistent symptoms or have been to the hospital multiple times. It’s completely at no-cost and part of a new program by the American Lung Association in Greater Chicago.

“In Chicago, 16 percent of families have a child with asthma That’s higher than state and national levels. Most of them are in Black and Latino or Hispanic communities and have the least resources to treat their disease. They miss school days, have multiple trips to the hospital and struggle to manage their asthma,” said Felicia Fuller, Director of Health Promotions at the Lung Association. “Many asthma triggers are right inside the home. Through this program, we visit the home, virtually, identify those triggers and improve the home environment to help kids live normal, healthy lives.”

During the visit, a trained Lung Association staff member virtually walks with you through your home and suggests ways reduce asthma triggers. During this hour together, families will learn more about the disease signs and symptoms, medications, disease management plan and what triggers symptoms.   

“The home visit made a big positive difference in my son’s life. He can sleep through the night, go to school, and have an opportunity at life like any other child. Before the visit, his doctor recommended limiting certain activities and I would not let him go out and play with his friends because we were afraid that he would have an asthma attack. Although the home visit has made his asthma symptoms a smaller issue, the change of seasons also play a major part,” said Victoria Bennet, mother of a Chicago school-aged child with asthma.

The Lung Association provides materials to help reduce exposure to triggers during the visit, such as bed and pillow covers, green cleaning supplies, vacuums, HEPA air cleaners, and more. When we complete the assessment, families will understand the importance of avoiding triggers.  

Previous program evaluations show that a home visit:

• Reduces asthma symptoms during the day and at night 
• Reduces school absences 
• Decreases hospitalizations and emergency department visits 
• Provides a return on investment of $2.19 for every $1.00 invested by reducing health care costs