Asthma Therapy in Schools: Better Health & Lower Costs
School-based asthma therapy (SBAT) is transforming asthma management for students, offering better health outcomes and lower costs. For children managing the chronic condition, adhering to medication schedules during school hours can be challenging, but SBAT provides a collaborative solution. This proactive program, involving schools and healthcare providers, reduces emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and overall healthcare expenditures, saving possibly thousands of dollars annually per student.SBAT decreases missed class time and behavioral incidents, considerably improving students’ well-being. Families report fewer hospital trips and reduced work absences. News directory 3 highlights the groundbreaking research on SBAT’s impact. Discover what’s next as researchers continue their comprehensive economic evaluation.
School-Based Asthma Therapy Eases Burden for Students, Families
Updated June 25, 2025
For the nearly 5 million U.S. children battling asthma, managing the chronic condition can be a daily challenge.While asthma, which narrows airways, has no cure, anti-inflammatory medications can control it.However, adherence to medication schedules, especially during school hours, poses a hurdle.
School-based asthma therapy (SBAT) offers a solution. This collaborative program involves schools, nurses, health care providers, insurers, pharmacies, and families, all working together to help students breathe easier. Students report feeling more responsible, enjoying outdoor activities, and experiencing overall well-being with regular medication.
Kimberly Arcoleo, a professor at Michigan State University College of Nursing, leads research into SBAT. She said school nurses administer medication according to health care provider instructions, ensuring consistent treatment. Students receive two inhalers, one for school and one for home, eliminating transportation hassles.
Arcoleo and her team’s research, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global, details SBAT’s impact on children ages 5 to 19 in Columbus, Ohio. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute funded the research.
The study found that SBAT, with an average annual cost of $1,500 per student, can save $5,000 to $7,000 in medical expenses annually by significantly reducing asthma symptoms and related health care needs. The enhancement in health among students participating in school-based asthma therapy was remarkable, Arcoleo said.
In one year, for 633 students, we were able to reduce emergency department visits by 49%, urgent care visits by 41%, hospitalizations by 50% and pediatric intensive care unit admissions by 71%,” she explained.
Arcoleo also noted that while the program initially costs about $3,000 per student annually,the cost decreases to only $500 onc the school establishes the program.
Health Care Savings
Controlling asthma leads to fewer acute care visits,generating significant health care savings. Arcoleo’s team calculated savings for each type of averted medical visit:
- acute care: $100 per visit
- Urgent care: $150 per visit
- Emergency department: $1,993 per visit
- Hospitalization: $14,787 per visit
- pediatric intensive care unit: $46,961 per visit
The team also identified these annual savings, which add to over $3.4 million:
- emergency department visits: $1,006,833
- Hospitalization: $1,210,570
- Pediatric intensive care unit: $1,185,369
Parents report fewer hospital trips and reduced work absences thanks to SBAT. one family said they had not needed an emergency visit in almost a year.
Reductions in Missed Class Time
Preliminary data indicates that school-based asthma therapy also reduces missed instructional time and behavioral incidents. Arcoleo said missed instructional time decreased by 16% for elementary students and 25% for middle and high school students. Behavioral incidents also dropped by 7%.
this is vital from the standpoint of learning,” she said. ”It’s also critically importent for the schools as they get reimbursed by the federal government for attendance. It’s a double benefit.
What’s next
Arcoleo and her team are conducting a comprehensive economic evaluation using six years of data, including medical costs, staff time, and caregiver work absences. They anticipate publishing these findings later in 2025.