Pediatric Asthma Management Program

One-fifth of Trenton’s 85,314 residents live below the federal poverty line and many are uninsured. If they have a chronic medical condition, their options for affordable care are severely limited. Very few doctors in Trenton will provide care to the underinsured and uninsured. The shortage of pediatricians in Trenton is particularly acute with less than half of the average statewide (approximately 46 pediatricians per 100,000 children). The result is that emergency room visits for young children in Trenton are two to four times greater in most areas of Trenton than nationwide.

Since 1969, the place to go in Trenton for those seeking comprehensive, accessible, affordable, comprehensive health care service in a culturally sensitive manner with respect and dignity has been the Henry J. Austin Health Center (HJAHC). Today, HJAHC is Trenton’s largest non-hospital-based ambulatory care provider, serving more than 300 patients each day. This past year HJAHC provided pediatric care; adult medicine; OB/GYN services; HIV counseling, testing, treatment and case management; dental care for children and adults; podiatry; and eye care services to more than 17,710 individuals in over 72,459 visits. Increasing access and decreasing barriers to quality care are the mainstays of HJAHC.

HJAHC’s fastest growing patient sub-set is children. This past year HJAHC served 5,106 children between the ages of 0-21. HJAHC offers two signature programs for its pediatric patients – Pediatric Asthma Management Program and its S.W.E.E.T. (Successful Wellness by Eating and Exercising Together).

The Pediatric Asthma Management Program provides medical treatment as well as case management and health education to children and their families. The program identifies children with asthma symptoms (234 children as of 2/13/08) and provides these children with on-going comprehensive asthma treatment. The goal of the program is to improve the quality of life experienced by the children and to reduce the number of emergency room visits by these children. The HJAHC Pediatric Asthma

Registry indicates almost fifty percent (49.6%) of the pediatric population reported a visit to the ER in the year prior to February 2008.

Approximately two-thirds of the children identified through the registry are African-American and approximately one-third is Hispanic. Asthma mortality and ER visit rates among African-American and Hispanics are dramatically higher than that of Caucasians.

For further information on the Pediatric Asthma Management Program call 609-278-5913.