Using nowcasting and digital messaging to cut asthma burden in rural kids
Official title: Integrating nowcasting models with digital communications to reduce the asthma burden in rural areas
Funded at Social Cascade, LLC · NIH-11313085 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A fast-track project will use AI-powered messages tailored to rural communities to help kids aged 0-11 manage asthma better and reduce visits to the doctor or ER.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Social Cascade, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Raleigh, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $312,873 |
| NIH project number | 1R44HL180233-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11313085 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children 0-11 years old with asthma living in rural areas and their families who use social media and engage with digital health messages.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the target age range or in non-rural settings may see little direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This project aims to combine real-time forecasting with personalized digital communications to improve asthma self-management among children in rural areas. It builds on past work showing education and timely guidance can lower asthma problems and costs, and it uses hybrid machine learning to tailor messages to local triggers and timing. Trusted community messengers like pediatricians will share accurate, kid-friendly content on popular social platforms to reach families where they spend time online. The approach emphasizes timely, relevant information to support care plans and reduce emergency department visits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, children in rural communities could experience better asthma control and fewer urgent care visits through more effective education and timely self-management support.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research suggests that tailored education and digital messaging can improve asthma control, but scalable, community-tailored approaches using nowcasting are still being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Social Cascade, LLC
Raleigh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcquiggan, Scott — Social Cascade, LLC
- Study coordinator: Mcquiggan, Scott
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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.