|
Drs. Padden and Marcotullio participated in an asthma screening along with Drs. Skoner and Gentile at The Wesley Center A.M.E. Zion Church in the Hill District. Drs. Tumis, Higgenbotham, and Mandock along with Dr. Marcotullio’s four experiential students, volunteered their time as well. The Wesley Center A.M.E. Zion Church runs an after-school program for area children, who are dropped off from school at the church, where volunteers give them a snack, and Duquesne students help them with their homework. They then go across the street to the YMCA for an hour to participate in supervised physical activity. Following this, they are fed dinner at the church before returning home. This program has been in place for 17 years. Duquesne students recently screened over 50 of these children for asthma during this after-school program, obtaining heights, weights, Asthma Control Test (ACT) questionnaires, and spirometry for them all. Through this screening we were able to identify that a portion of children are at risk for uncontrolled asthma, and we invited all of these to our May 2nd “Bat For Your Good Health” Asthma Camp, where our Duquense Pharmacy students educated them on pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment options, inhaler and spacer technique, and the importance of an asthma action plan. We also provided free health screenings to all the parents who attend with their children. Drs. Skoner and Gentile also provided an educational session for parents with children who suffer from asthma.
|
