Operation Cease the Wheeze is an asthma focused health literacy initiative. Our mission is to bring communities together nationwide to increase literacy and decrease the devastating effects of asthma. It is estimated that 20 million people suffer with asthma. Among these 20 million asthmatics, 500,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 - 5,000 die every year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC). Reversing the detriment associated with this illness requires educating people on asthma, on the proper use of medication to treat asthma and on the importance of avoiding asthma triggers. Accomplishing this with individuals who have low health literacy is nearly impossible.

According to a report issued by the Institute of Medicine, “A Prescription to End Confusion,” 90 million people have difficulty understanding and using health information. This results in higher rates of hospitalizations, increased use of emergency services and billions of dollars spent on avoidable health care costs. It is now believed that low health literacy is the biggest risk factor to poor health outcomes. Picture books have become popular tools utilized in the nation’s quest to increase literacy. Creating picture books with health themes and ensuring those books reach the hands of families are crucial steps towards placing children upon the path of academic success and securing life long health habits.

Methodology:
Operation Cease the Wheeze will bring community hospitals, libraries, asthma programs, early childcare centers and departments of education together to educate families on asthma and health literacy. This initiative will be piloted in California in 2009. It will then go nationwide in 2010. The picture book Wheezing Winona Weatherbee will be the cornerstone of this initiative. Wheezing Winona Weatherbee, in a fun and childlike manner touches on all the important aspects of asthma. It provides specific signs and symptoms of an asthma attack as well as addresses the triggers initiating the attack. The story is based on the complications associated with being non-compliant with maintenance medication, i.e., frequent asthma attacks resulting in overuse of quick relief inhalers and life threatening situations requiring emergency attention. Wheezing Winona Weatherbee also addresses the need for parents to take more of an active roll in medicating their children’s asthma properly. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology and the American Lung Association have reviewed this release and have found the medical content to be correct. They will be listed on the Smartie,

Our outreach efforts will begin within school districts and early childcare centers in selected counties. Children and their families within these schools and centers will be invited to a host site, which is typically a hospital, for a pajama health literacy event like no other. Everyone will come dressed in their pajamas and at least 200 families per event will receive a free copy of Wheezing Winona Weatherbee. Families will also receive a formal education on asthma and learn of the importance of reading to their children every day.

The most important aspect of this program is educating educators in participating schools on asthma and implementing an asthma action plan requirement from every parent enrolling a child with asthma. This is a critical step in this program and it is here where we are coordinating our efforts with the National Association of School Nurses. Getting school nurses to educate educators and motivate them to take action against low health literacy guarantees a successful mission. Principals and teachers will be taught the basic fundamentals of asthma i.e. the triggers and mainstay of treatment, and they will be given samples of an asthma action plan. They will be instructed to request one from every family that enrolls a student with asthma. The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program has an asthma managing guide for schools. We will utilize them as a resource for the nurses. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology has reviewed Wheezing Winona Weatherbee and Operation Cease the Wheeze. They too will provide resources for families and educators. The American Lung Association California will provide literature for the families and educators participating in this initiative. We are also arranging to have an ALA representative speak at the pajama parties.

Once the educational staff understands the fundamental concepts of asthma, its treatment and forms of control, they will then share their knowledge and Wheezing Winona Weatherbee with grades kindergarten through fourth. Participating schools will be invited to produce a poster on asthma and literacy. The posters will be displayed at the host site the night of the pajama literacy event. The winning school will receive a $500.00 health literacy grant, which is to be utilized to incorporate health into the library. Every participating school will receive a free author’s visit the week of the event to promote reading and generate excitement for the big PJ party. These pajama health literacy events are effective programs against the health literacy crisis in America, meeting the needs of children, educators, parents and caregivers. The objectives of this program are listed below.

Objectives:

1. Spread awareness on asthma and its complications.
2. Empower parents to ask questions and to work closely with their health-care providers to develop an asthma action plan.
3. Reduce the number of school and work days missed due to asthma exacerbations.
4. Instill confidence in parents to be the controllers of asthma.
5. Reduce asthma related emergency department visits.
6. Reduce asthma related hospitalizations.
7. Reduce asthma related deaths.
8. Encourage families to participate in daily-shared reading activities to increase literacy.
9. Incorporate health education with a focus on literacy into the classroom.