Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of Adapt 2 Asthma (A2A), a culturally relevant coping skills and asthma management intervention for Latinx Families

Background Latinx children in the United States experience disparities in asthma control and asthma-related functional outcomes compared to non-Latinx White children, including more school absences, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations for asthma. Stress appears to play a role in asthma control, but interventions designed to address the role of stress in asthma control for Latinx children are limited. Method The current randomized controlled trial tests the effects of Adapt 2 Asthma (A2A), a family-based coping skills and asthma management intervention tailored to the stressors, strengths, and cultural beliefs of Latinx families, compared to an asthma self-management control arm (the Asthma Plan for Kids; APK). Latinx families of children ages 8 to 14 years old with asthma (target N = 280) are identified and enrolled from primary care clinics and randomly assigned to either A2A or APK. The intervention is delivered by lay health workers trained and receiving ongoing consultation from the study team. The primary outcome is child- and parent-reported asthma control, while secondary outcomes are child's quality of life, lung function, school absences, and emergency department visits, and child and parent coping and family asthma management behaviors. Participants will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up timepoints. Discussion This study has the potential to provide new evidence regarding the effects of culturally relevant coping and asthma management intervention strategies for Latinx children with asthma.