# Using technology-assisted stepped-care interventions to improve adherence in adolescents with asthma

> **NIH NIH K23** · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · 2020 · $162,800

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 Candidate: I am a practicing pediatric psychologist whose overarching career goal is to improve health
outcomes for adolescents with asthma by targeting adherence through technology-assisted interventions. I am
an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology (BMCP) at
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). I completed my doctoral training at Oklahoma State
University and a T32 fellowship in pediatric adherence at CCHMC. Training Objectives: The proposed K23
will allow me to fill my current training gaps and enable me to: 1) Obtain advanced training in dissemination
and implementation science, 2) Develop knowledge of clinical care models of asthma for adolescents with a
specific focus on community health, 3) Obtain advanced training in clinical research design and biostatistics,
and 4) Enhance my professional development through grant writing skills and publications of research findings.
Mentors: My primary mentor, Kevin Hommel, PhD, is a NIH-funded researcher with expertise in clinical
research design and technology-enabled behavioral adherence-promotion interventions for adolescents. Under
Dr. Hommel's mentorship, I have assembled an expert team of leaders in asthma and pulmonary care (Drs.
Guilbert, Kahn), dissemination and implementation science (Dr. Epstein), and Statistics (Dr. Peugh) who
complement Dr. Hommel's expertise and will provide valuable mentorship. Environment: CCHMC and the
University of Cincinnati (UC) are uniquely equipped to facilitate the career development of junior researchers.
Through UC's Clinical and Translational Science Award and the Asthma Center, I have local resources to
achieve my training objectives and complete the proposed research. The Asthma Center within the Division of
Pulmonary Medicine provides access to a large patient population and I will capitalize on my existing
relationships with Asthma Center faculty. Research: My proposed research will test the preliminary efficacy of
a technology-assisted stepped-care (TASC) adherence-promotion intervention for 12-18 year old adolescents
with asthma in a pilot RCT. TASC was developed using dissemination and implementation strategies to
facilitate translation to practice and has the potential to address the limitations of available adherence
interventions for adolescents with asthma by overcoming barriers to access, providing individualized care, and
expanding the reach and impact of adherence intervention to improve the health of adolescents with asthma.
Preliminary efficacy will be demonstrated by improved adherence to daily inhaled corticosteroids as measured
by electronic monitoring devices compared to a treatment as usual (TAU) control group. Secondary outcomes
include disease severity as measured by the Composite Asthma Severity Index combining symptoms,
treatment, and exacerbations compared to TAU and an assessment of TASC implementation through a
process evaluation...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9996769
- **Project number:** 5K23HL139992-02
- **Recipient organization:** CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Rachelle R. Ramsey
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $162,800
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-15 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9996769

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9996769, Using technology-assisted stepped-care interventions to improve adherence in adolescents with asthma (5K23HL139992-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9996769. Licensed CC0.

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