Children, Parents Learn to Manage Asthma at One-Day Basketball and Health Education Session
Healthy Hoops® Program Uses Basketball to Improve Children's Health
Harrisburg (PA) – More than 50 Lehigh Valley children and family members used basketball to learn how to better manage asthma at a one-day Healthy Hoops® event on Saturday, April 4. The program helped families learn about appropriate medication use, proper nutrition, and monitored exercise.
"The Healthy Hoops program is a proven way to help young people with asthma live healthier, fuller lives," said Sherry Knowlton, Senior Vice President and General Manager for AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan, a Medicaid managed care plan in the Lehigh Valley and a sponsor of the program. "This is our first program in Allentown and we were pleased to see such a good turnout. Young asthma patients who have attended these events in Reading and other areas have shown significant improvement after one year."
A study of Healthy Hoops participants from 2006 and 2007 found:
- Asthma-related emergency room visits decreased 6.4 percent
- Inpatient hospital stays due to asthma-related problems dropped 22.2 percent
- Healthy Hoops participants used their medications more effectively, showing an 11.7 percent increase in the use of controller medications to reduce severe asthma attacks
- 68 percent of participants either maintained or improved their lung capacity and strength
The program was for children ages 3 to 15 with asthma, cardiovascular disease or weight problems. The day included health screenings, basketball skills training and parent education sessions all aimed at helping kids with asthma live healthier, fuller lives.
"This is very helpful for the parents," said Carol Peters of Allentown. This was the third Healthy Hoops event she attended with her grandson who suffers from asthma. "Every time I come here, I leave with more information that helps me take care of my grandson. And he learns that he doesn't have to be spectator – he can do what the other kids do."
The Healthy Hoops event held at Allentown's Dieruff High School was sponsored by AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan and the Healthy Hoops Coalition, including AstraZeneca, the American Lung Association, local community and health organizations, and participating basketball coaches.
"With the knowledge and medications we have today, children with asthma can lead normal, active lives," Knowlton said. "By making sure parents as well as their children know how to properly use medication, eat right, and get regular, supervised exercise, we can make life better for young people with asthma."
AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan, a member of the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies, is a Medical Assistance (Medicaid) managed care health plan serving more than 100,000 Medical Assistance recipients in 15 counties of central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan is a mission-driven company dedicated to helping members get care, stay well, and build healthy communities. Its corporate parent partners are Mercy Health System and AmeriHealth First. For more information, go to www.amerihealthmercyhp.com.
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