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.

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.

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?

A Public Health Response to Asthma: Uses of Surveillance Data

Basis for planning and targeting intervention activities

Evaluating intervention activities

A Public Health Response to Asthma Education

Education programs can be targeted to:People with asthmaParents of children with asthmaMedical care providersSchool staff Public

A Public Health Response to Asthma: Coalition

Successful asthma campaigns need the cooperation of committed partners.

A Public Health Response to Asthma: Advocacy

Asthma needs to be addressed comprehensively by multiple government and non-government agencies.

A Public Health Response to Asthma: Interventions

Medical managementEducationEnvironment Schools

A Public Health Response to Asthma: Medical Management Interventions

Ensure people with asthma know about their disease and are empowered to demand appropriate management

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

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

Key Aspects

Require team effortCoordinate 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

1. Management & Support Systems

Family/CommunityInvolvement

Physical Education

NutritionServices

Healthy SchoolEnvironment

Health Promotion For Staff

Health Education

Health Services

Counseling, Psychological, and

Social Services

4. Healthy School Environment

2. Health & Mental Health

Services

3. Asthma Education

6. School, Family, & Community

Efforts

5. Physical Education &

Activity

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

are likely to have asthma.*

On average, 3 children in a classroom of 30

*Epidemiology and Statistics Unit. Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Mortality. NYC: ALA, July 2006.

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

Asthma-Friendly School DVD and Toolkit

Objectives Personal stories to relate to viewer Aspects of an asthma-friendly schoolSix strategies for addressing asthma in a coordinated school health programPotential impact of asthma-friendly schools

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.

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?

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

Using Evaluation to Improve Programs

Highlight effective program componentsRecognize achievementsReplicate successes

Assess and prioritize needs

Target program improvements

Advocate for the program

Framework for Program Evaluation

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.

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

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