A Public Health Response to Asthma

1. A Public Health Response to Asthma A call to action for organizations and people with an interest in asthma management to work as partners in reducing the burden of asthma within our nation’s communities.

2. A Public Health Response to Asthma: Surveillance Over time… How much asthma does the population have? How severe is asthma across the population? How well controlled is asthma in the population? What is the cost of asthma?

3. A Public Health Response to Asthma: Uses of Surveillance Data Basis for planning and targeting intervention activities Evaluating intervention activities

4. A Public Health Response to Asthma Education Education programs can be targeted to: People with asthma Parents of children with asthma Medical care providers School staff Public

5. A Public Health Response to Asthma: Coalition Successful asthma campaigns need the cooperation of committed partners.

6. A Public Health Response to Asthma: Advocacy Asthma needs to be addressed comprehensively by multiple government and non-government agencies.

7. APublic Health Response to Asthma: Interventions Medical management Education Environment Schools

8. A Public Health Response to Asthma: Medical Management Interventions Ensure people with asthma know about their disease and are empowered to demand appropriate management

9. A Public Health Response to Asthma: Environmental Interventions • Help people create and maintain healthy home, school, and work environments. • Environmental interventions may consist of: • Assessments to identify asthma triggers • Education on how to remove asthma triggers • Remediation to remove asthma triggers

10. A Public Health Response to Asthma: School Intervention Science-Based Guidance Management and support systems Health and mental health services Asthma education for students, staff, and parents Healthy school environment Physical education and activity School, family, and community efforts Source: www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/asthma/strategies

11. Key Aspects Require team effort Coordinate health, including mental and physical health, education, environment, family, and community efforts Assess needs of school and prioritize (every action step is not feasible to every school or district) Focus on students with frequent asthma symptoms, health room visits, and absenteeism

12. Coordinated School Health Program Health Services Family/CommunityInvolvement Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services Physical Education Health Education Nutrition Services Health Promotion For Staff Healthy School Environment Strategies for Addressing Asthma 1. Management & Support Systems 6. School, Family, & Community Efforts 2. Health & Mental Health Services 5. Physical Education & Activity 3. Asthma Education 4. Healthy School Environment

13. A Public Health Response to Asthma: School A leading chronic disease cause of school absence Common disease addressed by school nurses Affects teachers, administrators, nurses, coaches, students, bus drivers, after school program staff, maintenance personnel

14. On average, 3 children in a classroom of 30 are likely to have asthma.* *Epidemiology and Statistics Unit. Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Mortality. NYC: ALA, July 2006.

15. A Public Health Response to Asthma: What can make asthma worse in the school? Mold and mildew Animals in classroom Carpeted classrooms Cockroaches Poor air quality

16. Asthma-Friendly School DVD and Toolkit • Objectives • Personal stories to relate to viewer • Aspects of an asthma-friendly school • Six strategies for addressing asthma in a coordinated school health program • Potential impact of asthma-friendly schools

17. A Public Health Response to Asthma: School Actions Establish policies and procedures to support children with asthma. Keep students’ asthma action plans at the school. Make medications available During school hours Before physical activity and sports During before- and after-school programs On field trips or when away from campus Train school staff to recognize signs of an asthma attack and to use appropriate medications.

18. A Public Health Response to Asthma: Evaluation The systematic investigation of the structure, activities, or outcomes of asthma control programs. Are we doing the right thing? Are we doing things right?

19. Benefits of Program Evaluation Evaluations help asthma programs Manage resources and services effectively Understand reasons for current performance Build capacity Plan and implement new activities Demonstrate the value of their efforts Ensure accountability

20. Using Evaluation to Improve Programs Highlight effective program components Recognize achievements Replicate successes Assess and prioritize needs Target program improvements Advocate for the program

21. Framework for Program Evaluation

22. A Public Health Response to Asthma: Summary Asthma is a complex disease that is not yet preventable or curable. Asthma can be managed with medication, environmental changes, and behavior modifications. By working together, we can ensure that people with asthma enjoy a high quality of life.

23. Resources National Asthma Education and Prevention Program http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/naepp/ Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America http://www.aafa.org American Lung Association http://www.lungusa.org American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology http://www.aaaai.org Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc. http://www.aanma.org

24. Resources American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology http://www.acaai.org American College of Chest Physicians http://www.chestnet.org American Thoracic Society http://www.thoracic.org The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/asthma