Adaptive mHealth Support to Help Teens with Asthma Stick to Their Inhalers
Official title: Improving Medication Adherence using an Adaptive mHealth Intervention in Adolescents with Asthma
Funded at Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr · NIH-11417160 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-site study tests a flexible smartphone-based program to help adolescents with asthma take their inhaled meds more consistently.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $699,807 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL172827-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417160 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents with asthma who have low adherence or adherence-related health drivers and are able to use a smartphone app.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without access to smartphones or with non-adherence causes not addressed by the app may see limited or no benefit.
What this research studies
This project targets adolescents with asthma who struggle with daily medication adherence. It uses an adaptive mobile health app (Asthma Ctrl) to provide education, reminders, and tailored support to patients, families, and clinicians. The study will follow a SMART design to compare stepped-care strategies over two stages, aiming to improve daily inhaled corticosteroid use and asthma outcomes. Results will show whether personalized digital guidance can reduce nonadherence and related morbidity in teens.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, teens with asthma could experience better control, fewer symptoms, and lower healthcare costs through improved medication adherence.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary pilot data showed feasibility, acceptability, and clinically meaningful adherence and outcome improvements.
Where this research is happening
-
Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr
Cincinnati, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ramsey, Rachelle R. — Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Ramsey, Rachelle R.
Related research
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This study is testing a new program called Asthma Link to help kids with asthma by making sure they get their medication at school, with support from nurses, families, and doctors, so they can breathe easier and feel better.
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Improving asthma treatment adherence in young people using telehealth.
This study is looking to help young people aged 14 to 30 with asthma stick to their medication by using video calls and handy tools to track their inhaler use, making it easier and more personal for them to manage their health over a year.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.