NHLBI TOPMed: Chicago Initiative to Raise Asthma Health Equity (CHIRAH)

The CHIRAH project was a community-based study of the factors associated with asthma morbidity in the African American population. CHIRAH evaluated the role of various variables (biologic/environmental, psychologic/behavioral, and socioeconomic) on asthma morbidity and the function of changes in these variables on asthma morbidity in a longitudinal fashion. This involved collection of a cohort-based on school screening which was sampled to include similar numbers of underprivileged and non-underprivileged subjects which roughly equally represented self-reported African Americans and self-reported non-African Americans. Subjects were followed up every 3 months of this cohort over the course of 2 years.]]>
TOPMed Whole Genome Sequencing Methods: Freeze 9TOPMed Whole Genome Sequencing Methods: Freeze 10This is a case only study. Inclusion criteria required the following: A physician diagnosis of asthma Age in the following ranges: 8-14, or 18-40 A requirement of greater than 8 weeks of asthma medications used in the last 12 months Exclusion criteria included: Not fluent in English No telephone Not residing in Chicago Other chronic cardio-respiratory conditions ]]>
The main CHIRAH cohort was designed as a community-based study with initial sampling in schools, inviting subject families to recruitment at a community-based center. The study was designed to be It was designed to be 50% African American vs non-African American based on self-report, not ancestry, and limited to asthma participants only.Schools were initially stratified by high vs low African American (cut point 50% African American), and high vs low income (>70% of students receiving subsidized school lunch). 150 schools were identified by a combination of population proportionate and cluster sampling methods within each of these groups. From school screening, 6317 households were identified, with 3676 households expressing interest, 561 child-caregiver dyads, and 353 adults enrolled. We instituted an ancillary genetics protocol which resulted in 650 subjects enrolled, including the 321 African American subjects whose DNA was included in this submission (largest ethnic group).]]>