Virtual Young Teen Asthma & Wellness Camp: An online, interprofessional curriculum for teens with asthma (curricular resource)

• Published in: Journal of interprofessional education & practice 2024-06, Vol.35, p.100695, Article 100695
• Main Authors: Buckner, Ellen B., Futch Thurston, Lydia A., Keith, Al, Marshall, LaBrenda, Johnston, Kristen, Worthington, Mary, Pike, Felicia, Diamond, Jabril, Cameron, Amy, Jackson, Allison, Fletcher, Ashlyn, Polcari, Michael, Soong, Weily
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Asthma; Experiential; Music-based; Participant engaged; Self-management
• ISSN: 2405-4526; 2405-4526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.xjep.2024.100695

Asthma is the most prevalent chronic illness of youth, and as teens mature self-management of asthma is necessary. For populations in rural areas or with limited health care resources, access to self-management education is critical. The Virtual Young Teen Asthma & Wellness Camp (VYTAWC) was founded in 2020 as an online format in response to COVID-19 restrictions and continued to increase accessibility to self-management strategies for teens with asthma in the current 2023 iteration of the camp. The camp was offered to teens (ages 11–15) and conducted by an interprofessional team. The virtual format allowed students, faculty, and community professionals to facilitate camp programming and used Asthma Blues® music as a teaching tool. Assessments of facilitator collaboration and debriefing of the program contributed to program evolution. This article outlines an interprofessional, music-based approach to connecting teens with the resources and skills needed for self-management of asthma using a virtual camp.