A program led by the University of Arizona (U of A) Health Sciences, which provides schools with asthma inhalers to assist students experiencing respiratory distress, is set to expand and improve thanks to a $3.4 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Asthma continues to affect a significant portion of the youth population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 38.7% of children ages 18 and younger with asthma reported experiencing one or more asthma attacks in the past year. Despite asthma being a controllable condition, research from the National Asthma Control Program shows that 44% of children with asthma still have uncontrolled symptoms.
The Stock Inhaler for Schools program, launched in 2017 by U of A Health Sciences in collaboration with Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and Thayer Medical Corporation, aims to address this gap by improving access to emergency asthma medications in schools.
"Respiratory distress is the leading cause of 9-1-1 calls from schools, yet access to life-saving medications for emergency respiratory distress during school hours remains limited," said Dr. Ashley Lowe, assistant professor at the U of A College of Nursing and a member of the U of A Health Sciences Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center. "Our goal with the Stock Inhaler for Schools program is to bridge the gap in access to life-saving medications and safeguard the well-being of our youth."
Currently, over 800 schools across Arizona are enrolled in the program, which equips each school with one albuterol inhaler and 10 spacers for administering the medication. The initiative has proven effective in providing essential asthma relief, but challenges remain, particularly in rural areas where access to health resources is limited.
Dr. Lowe and her research team plan to test three implementation strategies to improve the program's reach and effectiveness.
Two of these strategies are already in use in Arizona: one provides schools with a comprehensive toolkit for program implementation, and the other adds personalized support through a nurse coach. The third strategy builds on these by introducing practice facilitation to further guide schools in implementing the program effectively.
The research aims to provide evidence-based recommendations on the best implementation strategies, including the relative cost-effectiveness of these approaches, which could be applied not only in Arizona but also in the 21 other states that have stock inhaler laws. These laws allow schools to procure, stock, and administer albuterol sulfate to any child experiencing respiratory distress.
“This research represents a significant opportunity to empower policymakers, healthcare providers, and educators to improve student health and safety,” Dr. Lowe explained. “Our goal is to bridge the gap in access to life-saving medications and ensure the well-being of our youth.”
Although all 50 states permit students to carry their own inhalers, limited access to medications on school grounds remains a serious issue. This lack of access can result in increased absenteeism, higher healthcare costs, and, in extreme cases, death.
“The Stock Inhalers for Schools program exemplifies the transformative impact that our faculty researchers can have on community health and safety,” said Dr. Brian Ahn, dean of the College of Nursing. “This grant will enable Dr. Lowe to expand an initiative that addresses a critical, unmet need for students with asthma. We are proud to support such impactful research that not only serves Arizona but has the potential to influence national policies.”
In the U.S., approximately 4.6 million children have asthma, according to the CDC, underscoring the need for such life-saving initiatives in schools. The expanded program will aim to ensure that more students across the nation have access to the medications they need in times of crisis.
This research is supported in part by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health.