Development and Pilot Testing of a Bilingual Environmental Health Assessment Tool to Promote Asthma-friendly Childcares.

BACKGROUND: Childhood marks the highest risk for allergic sensitization to asthma triggers. Hispanic/Latino children are at higher risk for hospitalization for asthma than non-Hispanic White children. Childcare providers lack knowledge about reducing asthma triggers.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this paper is to describe a community-based participatory research (CBPR) initiative aimed at developing and pilot testing a bilingual walk-through assessment tool for asthma-friendly childcare environments.

METHODS: Ten Latina mothers of children with asthma living in the Pacific Northwest collaborated with research partners to develop and pilot test a Childcare Environmental Health (CEH) assessment walk-through survey.Results and Lessons Learned: The women innovated the survey with photography and structural examinations of stress and provision of basic needs. The survey tool identified environmental threats to asthma in all three childcares surveyed.

CONCLUSIONS: Parents are well-positioned to build trust with childcare providers, assess asthma triggers, and recommend practical mitigation strategies.