ASTHMA

ACU Launches Pediatric Asthma Indoor Air Quality Improvement Project

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children in the US.   According to the Center of Disease Control, between 1980 and 1996, the prevalence of asthma in children has increased from 3.6% to 6.2% with children of low-income families experiencing a disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality due to asthma.  Often, an environmental trigger in the child's environment can cause an asthma attack.  Since the average person spends 90% of their time indoors, controlling for indoor environmental triggers is integral in helping a child control his/her asthma symptoms.  However, families are not well informed about environmental control of asthma, nor are they taught how to do it.  This could be explained by a focus on medical management of asthma that many providers are trained to give to patients.

The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved has developed a curriculum targeted for primary care providers serving low-income, underserved populations about incorporating an environmental assessment as part of a comprehensive asthma management plan.  This educational session, developed with the guidance of an expert advisory committee uses the chronic care model to encourage a transdisciplinary approach to asthma care and team building between patients and providers.  The curriculum focuses on practical and realistic measures providers can offer to their patients for better control of environmental triggers of asthma, while remaining sensitive to cultural and linguistic issues.

The Pediatric Asthma Indoor Air Quality Improvement project is funded through a cooperative agreement with the EPA, Indoor Environments Division.  This funding has allowed ACU to develop the curriculum and will allow ACU to deliver the curriculum to over 300 clinicians in two years at no cost to the hosting organization.  If you or your organization is interested in hosting a training, please contact Lois Wessel for more information.

ACU's Expert Advisory Committee

Committee Members & Affiliation
Amy Friedman, MPH- Allies Against Asthma
Asha Subramanian, MD- Georgetown Fellow
Bonita Wilson, MD- Asthma Allergy Foundation of America
Ed Zuroweste, MD Migrant Clinicians Network
Elvan Daniels, MD- National Center on Primary Care
Jacqueline Spain, MD, HRSA Asthma Collaborative
Janet Phoenix, MD, MPH- Coalition for Environmentally Safe Communities
Leigh Hume, RN- Inova Fairfax Hospital- Health Source
Mary Jo Harris , RN- Baltimore City Health Department
Peter Gergen, MD- National Institute of Health, NIAID
Shawn  Bowen, MD- Children's Health Fund
Suzanne  Bronheim, PhD- National Center for Cultural Competence
Tracy  Goodman, JD- Children's Law Center

EPA Agency Representatives

Sheila Brown- EPA, Indoor Environments Division
Katrin Kral - EPA, Indoor Environments Division

ACU Staff

Lois Wessel, RN, FNP, Project Manager