S. Christy Sadreameli, MD, MHS

Stock bronchodilator laws ensure students with asthma, the most common chronic disease in childhood, have access to life-saving medications during the school day. Typically, the bronchodilator is albuterol, given in inhaler form with a spacer. Though caregivers are currently able to file paperwork and medication with schools for children to receive treatment individually, many families do not complete this process, leaving many children without access to medication during the school day. This can lead to unnecessary suffering, school absenteeism, and avoidable 911 calls. Maryland passed a stock bronchodilator law in 2024. It is the first law in the nation to require public schools to enact the program, rather than making it optional. Though limited published outcomes data show programs are safe and effective, more data about outcomes and effective implementation are needed. We plan to study asthma health outcomes and school absenteeism rates before and after implementation of the law.

Update: The focus of this project is determining the impact of a new stock bronchodilator policy in Maryland. The law was passed in April 2024 and the policy was enacted in public schools for the 2025-2026 school year. While the Maryland law shares many aspects with laws in other states, it also has the unique feature of a public school mandate, which is rare, if not unprecedented, in the U.S.  We are analyzing school-level health and absenteeism data pre- and post-policy implementation. The study specifically involves Asthma CHAMPS, a 32-school cohort based in Baltimore City. During the first year of the project, we partnered with the Baltimore City Health Department, Maryland Department of Health and Baltimore City Public Schools to provide stock albuterol kits to city public schools, including those in Asthma CHAMPS. We have led group and individual education for school personnel and parents, helped design the interview guide, participated in regular study meetings, and coordinated procurement, delivery and replenishment of albuterol kits.