Participate in Asthma Awareness Month!
Each May, thousands of organizations across the U.S. join together for Asthma Awareness Month (AAM) in an effort to increase public awareness about the nation’s asthma epidemic and to take action to get asthma under control in communities nationwide. Asthma affects almost 25 million people of all ages and races in the U.S.; however, public awareness of common asthma triggers and effective asthma management strategies remains limited. Scroll down to learn how you can promote your program's Asthma Awareness Month activities on AsthmaCommunityNetwork.org.
Browse AAM Events
Check out the Events Calendar and use the widget on the right hand side of the page to search for AAM events in your community!
Join the national effort in promoting Asthma Awareness. Put this widget on your Web page. Click here for the code!
Identify Partners in Your Community
Search the Community Program Profiles on AsthmaCommunityNetwork.org to find programs in your area to partner with and host events. Promote your events by posting them on the Events Calendar!
Find and Share Resources
Search the Resource Bank to inform your program’s work. The Resource Bank has everything from checklists and asthma action plans to education and outreach materials and community health worker tools.
To search for what you need, use the advanced search feature:
- Visit the Resource Bank.
- Click on the “show advanced search” button.
- Check the boxes under “Resource Category,” “Resource Type,” “Language,” “Literacy Level,” and “Target Audience” based on your resource needs.
- Click the “search” button at the bottom of the page.
- To start a new search, click the “start new search button.”
To share your program’s resources:
- Visit the Resource Bank.
- In the green box on the page, click the "add your resource" button.
- Complete the fields and upload your resource.
- Make sure to click the "save" button at the bottom of the page to add your resource.
- To add another resource, simply repeat steps 1-4 above.
Check out these Top Five Resources:
- Guide to Asthma Policy for Housing and Schools
American Lung Association - School Flag Program
EPA Asthma Team - Asthma Clinical Guidelines Flip Chart
AH! Asthma Health - Asthma Triggers Coloring Book
EPA Region 4 - Environmental Improvements for Children’s Asthma: The Impact on Symptom Burden and Return on Investment of a Home-Based Environmental Assessment and Modification Project
American Lung Association of Minnesota
Plan AAM Events
Download EPA’s Asthma Awareness Month Event Planning Kit, which features new ideas for outreach and awareness activities, tips for working with the media, success stories and much more.
Add AAM Events
Publicize your community’s AAM Event on the AsthmaCommunityNetwork.org Events Calendar. Make sure to designate it as an "Asthma Awareness Month" event so others can easily recognize that your event is part of this national effort.
Have Multiple Events?
Add each event separately to maximize your marketing impact. You’ll also be able to track how many people RSVP for each event.
Read and Share AAM Stories
After your event takes place, let other AsthmaCommunityNetwork.org members know how it went by writing a blog post. This is a quick, easy way to share your successes with the community. You can even upload pictures from your events! Your stories can also help others in planning their own successful events.
View Popular Videos, Podcasts and Webinars
Check out the Multimedia page to view videos and podcasts, and the Webinars page to watch popular webinars on a variety of asthma management topics.
Blog
Do you want to write about a challenge you are facing? Do you have a success story you want to share? Use the Blog page to write about a topic of your choice.
Fulton County Asthma Awareness: Putting the Pieces Together Post Event ReCap
Submitted by Nazeera Dawood on 13 May 2012 - 7:14am
Fulton Asthma Improvement & Reduction (FAIR)
Thank you for participating in the “Fulton County Asthma Awareness: Putting the Pieces Together” session on May 1, 2012 at the Fulton County Aldredge Health Center. We thank our chief guests, Commissioner Vice Chair Emma I. Darnell , Laura Turner Seydel and our county manager, Zachary Williams for their participation that greatly enhanced the significance of this session. We thank Tim, Sarah and Dalton Passons and Rhonda Mitchell and Farrah who inspired us by their presence and we believe their voice and journey would advance us in achieving an asthma free Fulton.
We also thank our expert panelists, Renee Bomar, Dr.Hogai Nassery, Richard Johnson, Dr.Ann-Marie Brooks, Raymond Boyce, Dr. Anne Fitzpatrick, Dr.Douglas Masini, Rebecca Watts Hull , Dr.Gregory Crawford & Dr.Rebecca Reamy for their time, energy, and most importantly, their willingness to share, teach, and inspire. We thank our pitch in participants from various sectors sharing information to build on the many assets and talents that each of you brought into the room. We thank Babette Vlahous, Lynne Meadows & Gwendolyn Thomas from Fulton Public Schools and Atlanta Public Schools respectively who discussed the asthma challenges faced in the school systems. Additionally, we learned from the session that asthma in Fulton County is a huge problem surrounded by huge challenges. But we also have a huge opportunity and by working together we will be able to connect the dots and move away from the ‘silos’ environment that has been in existence in various sectors in Fulton County.
Together we have laid the foundation for a dialogue and defined opportunities and roles to address the current asthma status by building the Asthma Improvement and Reduction (AIR) Coalition of Fulton County. We agreed on mounting a focused and forceful policy response to asthma control in Fulton County. The diverse and high-level expertise represented in the session itself was a statement about how deeply we need to be concerned and how broadly we need to engage. Fulton County Department of Health Services is committed to carrying this effort forward. That said we want to hear from you further on some of your efforts underway to build the momentum generated in this session. As we move forward with AIR coalition, we will do so with commitment to working in partnership with you.
Feedback from you:
Total number of participants: 120
Evaluation Survey response: 50%
- 100% of you felt that the speakers’ presentation was enlightening and of value
- Almost 90 % of you are willing to join AIR Fulton coalition
- ‘Very well done and networked with many people and I believe it was very eye opening for Laura from Social Work to see all that was offered.’ Robert Harwood, GSU Respiratory Therapy Division Chair
- ‘ I was very moved by the parents of the children who passed away due to asthma. If they are willing, they should be involved in the asthma awareness/education campaign.’
- ‘ I hope the Georgia Asthma Coalition can network and further assist you in program development, and please call us if we can be of service. I look forward to hearing about and sharing your success in the near future....Jon and I work in the asthma community at many levels, and I don't think I have seen so many willing workers show up in one place at one time to do this amazing work...again, thanks to all for what you do and continued success, these are exciting times!’ Douglas E. Masini, Armstrong Atlantic State University
- ‘A large group discussion and/or brainstorming session would be helpful to move forward with the collaboration.’
Attachments:
Dr. Matthew McKenna Presentation slides
b. A link to the pictures. Photo credit to Carla Hill Photography
(If the link does not work, please copy and paste this address in your web browser: http://smu.gs/K6MuBL )
Link to more pictures https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=91d219796684ee0c&resid=91D219796684EE0C!289&parid=root (Thanks to April Majors from Communication Team)
d. Our campaign poster – Faces of Fulton in Asthma: Our Story. Our sincere gratitude to Brennan Nicole Passons & Kellen Edwin Bolden for helping us walk the talk.
Panelists and Pitch in participants (Janice Haker, Heidi LeSane, Dr. Joyce Essien, Jodie Rodriguez, Clay Burton, Francesca Lopez, Vincent Vandiegriff, Jovonne H. Givens, Kate Hodgins)
f. Asthma pitch in session forms
Next Steps:
In the near future, we will coordinate the efforts to the coalition members who are interested to be a part of the asthma free movement. We are in the process of planning a date, time and location for our first coalition meeting to decide on the infrastructure and workgroups. In the meantime, we would encourage you to forward us any information about the action steps that you suggest should be taken together. To do this effectively, we have to continue our dialogue on bringing the asthma issue on the forefront. We hope you will take time to share the information with your colleagues, families and friends who were not able to join us at this session.
We would like to thank Dr. Patrice A. Harris and Dr. Matthew McKenna for providing us great leadership. Last but not the least; I thank my Health Promotion team (Carolyn Atwater Wooten, Patricia J. Jackson, Deborah Cherry, Felix Lawson, Lynnette Allen, Brandon Rose, Cheryl Graham, Carla Williams, Robert Wright, Jemilat Azeez, Matt Jackson and interns, Sarah Tintle and Alex Pishal) for their team work. Finally thanks to our volunteers, William Knight for Deejaying, Mr. Boyce for playing the saxophone, Carolyn McKenzie for helping with evaluation efforts, CDC for providing us the bags and Asthma lapel pins and behind the scene employees who helped us get this event through successfully.
PS:
http://fultoncountyga.gov/dhw-home
http://health.state.ga.us/epi/cdiee/asthma.asp
www.atlanta-mold-testing.com
http://www.sph.emory.edu/zapasthma/Default.htm
http://www.choa.org/childrens-hospital-services/pulmonology/asthma-program
http://www.asthmacommunitynetwork.org/
http://www.epa.gov/asthma/
http://www.learntogrow.org/
http://www.georgiaheadstart.org/
GA Tobacco Quit Line: Stop Smoking Start Dialing- 1-877-270-STOP
Allergy & Asthma Day Capitol Hill 2012 - Contact Your Representative!
Submitted by taureanbarber on 3 May 2012 - 12:25pm
Join our nationwide virtual march to Capitol Hill on Wed., May 9, 2012! You can help spread our message without going any farther than your computer, phone, or smartphone. It takes about 5 minutes, tops. Here's how:
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Free Asthma and Allergy Screenings Offered Nationwide
Submitted by Nationwide Asth... on 24 April 2012 - 2:05pm
New Tools Help More Americans Find Relief
The unseasonably warm weather is making this spring season difficult for millions of Americans who suffer from asthma and allergies. To help adults and children who have symptoms find out if they are at risk, allergists will conduct the 16th annual Nationwide Asthma Screening Program, expanding the program this year to include screening for nasal allergies.
The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) offers more than 200 free asthma and nasal allergy screenings through the public service campaign which is supported by Teva Respiratory. The screenings help those experiencing nasal allergy and asthma-related symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, itchy eyes, shortness of breath and runny nose. A list of screening locations and an online Asthma and Allergy Symptom Test is available at www.acaai.org/nasp.
“Asthma and allergies are often connected, and we offer the tools and resources, available at the screenings and online, to give people a chance to see if they are at risk and get them on the path to find relief,” said allergist Dr. John Winder, chair of the ACAAI Nationwide Asthma Screening Program. “The screening is quick, painless and free and now checks for three conditions that could affect your quality of life.”
Allergists screen participants for:
· Breathing difficulties that might be asthma
· Nasal allergies, often called hay fever or allergic rhinitis
· Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), breathing problems that occur during or after exercise
For those already diagnosed with any of the conditions, the screening provides the chance to ensure their condition is under control.
“Allergies and asthma are serious diseases and misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment can have serious health consequences,” said Dr. Winder. “Board-certified allergists are the best-trained health professionals to perform allergy testing and treat allergic diseases effectively so that people with asthma, allergies or EIB can have a healthy lifestyle.”
Asthma attacks are often triggered by allergens such as pollen, dust and animal dander, certain drugs and food additives or respiratory infections. These allergens also can cause allergic rhinitis.
Between 80 percent to 90 percent of people with asthma also have EIB, with breathing difficulties often occurring during or after exercise. The interactive www.MyEIBJournal.org allows those with EIB to track their symptoms and exercise activities and share them with their allergist.
About ACAAI
The ACAAI is a professional medical organization headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill., that promotes excellence in the practice of the subspecialty of allergy and immunology. The College, comprising more than 5,000 allergists-immunologists and related health care professionals, fosters a culture of collaboration and congeniality in which its members work together and with others toward the common goals of patient care, education, advocacy and research.
To learn more about allergies and asthma, take a relief test and find an allergist, visit www.AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org
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Strengthen Your School-Based Asthma Management Program
Submitted by laniwheeler on 27 March 2012 - 3:04pm
Is your community interested in improving the academic performance of students?
Do you want to increase funding for schools?
If you answer “yes” to either of these questions, then you’ll want to take a look at your school-based asthma management program or work with schools in your community to see if it’s doing all it can to improve academic performance and increase funding.
Without a strong school-based asthma management program, students with asthma can miss significantly more school and perform worse than students without asthma. This can also impact the community, as parents miss work to stay home with their children. When students’ asthma is under good control, they can attend school and perform equally well. Increased attendance increases funding for most school districts.
A strong school-based asthma management program is usually part of the system used by a school and school district to assist students with any type of chronic condition. These systems are guided by school health councils or wellness teams and reflect a partnership between school staff, student, parents, and asthma care clinicians. For any chronic condition the school proactively identifies students and obtains a care plan (Asthma Action Plan) for each student with asthma. Prevention activities and education for staff, students and families are important components, too.
For students with asthma, many prevention activities are undertaken by the school’s Indoor Air Quality Team in order to reduce or eliminate asthma triggers. These activities cannot be expected to eliminate all asthma episodes so immediate care must also be available. Although older students are usually encouraged to carry quick-relief medicine and manage their own episodes, most students don’t consistently have their medicine at all times. School nurses can reduce the severity of episodes, and maybe even save a life, when they have a stock supply of albuterol and standing orders/protocols to assist any student having a severe asthma episode. Stock albuterol and standing orders are especially important when a personal Asthma Action Plan has not been completed for a student. Suggested emergency protocols have been developed by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (http://www.ashaweb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3420).
Similar to diabetes and other chronic conditions, asthma management is all about achieving and maintaining good control. In order to control their asthma, students need to monitor their air flow and many need to take preventive medicine before physical activity. Schools that provide a peak flow meter (ideally an electronic one that measures FEV1) help to promote self-management and good asthma control.
A final key component is a system for monitoring, evaluating, and improving policies, programs and services. Schools that actively assess severe asthma episodes and their management can identify area for improvement that can result in healthier students who are ready to learn.
Reach out to the schools in your community to see if their school-based asthma management programs are providing the best support available to students with asthma. More information on managing asthma at school is available at: http://www.ashaweb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3420.
Dr. Lani Wheeler, MD, FAAP, FASHA, a Senior Scientist with The Cadmus Group, Inc., is a public health pediatrician and consultant in environmental health, especially school-based asthma management programs. She recently co-chaired the NHLBI National Asthma Education and Prevention Program’s (NAEPP) School Education Subcommittee where she represented the American School Health Association (ASHA).
Announcement: EPA Now Accepting Assistance Applications
Submitted by Brandy on 14 February 2012 - 1:54pm
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting assistance applications for demonstration, training, outreach and/or education assistance agreements to carry out activities to reduce exposure to indoor air contaminants and yield measurable environmental outcomes.
Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Indoor Environments: Reducing Public Exposure to Indoor Pollutants
Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-OAR-ORIA-12-04
PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY Thursday, April 12, 2012, by 4:00 p.m. (EDT).
This Request of Applications (RFA) announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities for projects to conduct demonstration, training, education and/or outreach activities to reduce exposure to indoor air contaminants and yield measurable environmental outcomes, primarily in homes and schools. This announcement solicits applications for activities that will be carried out at the regional, state, or local level within the ten EPA regions.
The full text announcement with project descriptions, application/submission information, and eligibility information, is available at the following websites:
http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/open_awards.htm
Funding for HUD's 2012 Asthma NOFA
Submitted by Brandy on 5 December 2011 - 9:36am
Due to Fiscal Year 2012 budgetary limitations, there are no available funds for either the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Healthy Homes Production or the Asthma Interventions in Public and Assisted Multi-family Housing Programs. For more information on the Department of Housing and Urban Development, please visit www.hud.gov.
Poster Presentations at ACCP Annual Community Asthma and COPD Coalitions Symposium
Submitted by tamitchrrt on 26 October 2011 - 3:09pm
Networking and information sharing at the poster presentations and reception.
Coalitions from across the country have the opportunity to share their asthma program challenges and successes through poster presentations at the ACCP Symposium. Great networking and information sharing among the participants.
American College of Chest Physicians 13th Annual Community Asthma and COPD Coalitions Symposium
Submitted by tamitchrrt on 25 October 2011 - 8:40pm
Incredible speakers addressing health disparities in asthma care.
Great information being shared among the asthma and COPD coalitions on the best practices for addressing health disparities in communities across the country. Champions like Amanda Reddy, New York State Department, Healthy Neighborhhods Program; Mamta Reddy, South Bronx Asthma Partnership Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center; and Tyra Bryant-Stephens, Community Asthma Prevention Program shared their successful strategies for improving health outcomes, saving health care dollars, and improving the quality of life for people with asthma. (Check out each of their program profiles on Asthma Community Network.) Looking forward to even more information sharing at the break out sessions and poster presentations this afternoon and evening!
Congressional Allergy and Asthma Caucus Briefing on Cost Benefits of NIH Guideline-Level Care
Submitted by tamitchrrt on 13 October 2011 - 2:49pm
Great briefing in Capital Hill to stress the importance of promoting comprehensive asthma management that is consistent with the NIH Guidelines in order to save health care dollars and improve health outcomes for people with asthma.
Just returned from an impressive briefing of the Congressional Allergy and Asthma Caucus convened by Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics. Representatives from NIH and CDC stressed the importance of implementing evidence-based, comprehensive asthma mangement programs that include tailored environmental interventions and are consisent with NAEPP's national guidelines. Karen Meyerson, Manager of Asthma Network of West Michigan, demonstrated how her EPA award-winning program model, which receives reimbursement from five managed care organizations in Michigan, has resulted in dramatic reductions in ED visits, hospitalizations and overall costs for the people with asthma that they serve. (You can read more about her program on this site.)
Most inspiring was Representative Bill Cassidy from Louisiana discussing the obligation the government has to patients, communities and the country to connect programs and services through partnerships so that successful programs like the Asthma Network of West Michigan can be replicated. He also spoke of the importance of coalitions, school-based asthma clinics and cost-effective, real world implementation of successful models.
Representative Nita Lowey of New York, echoed his remarks and added that in this trying economic climate, we need to invest early to save health care costs later. She also called for those who are working to reduce the burden of asthma at the community level to be proactive in encouraging their representatives to join the Congressional Caucus.
AAAAI recruiting primary care practices for asthma outcomes study
Submitted by lsweetman on 1 September 2011 - 2:44pm
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network (AAFP NRN) are collaborating on a two year study designed to improve asthma patient outcomes in a primary care setting. Limited space is still available for interested practices.
Guidelines have been developed for the appropriate care and management of patients with asthma, but there is a mounting body of evidence suggesting that there is a large disparity between the development and the actual implementation of guideline-driven asthma care in primary and specialty care practices. This may in part be due to the challenges primary care physicians have in taking the voluminous guidelines and streaming them into the practical world of patient care. This study will examine whether the use of the ASTHMA IQ for primary care tool (www.asthmaiq.org) will improve asthma care and asthma outcomes using a randomized trial of the ASTHMA IQ system versus usual asthma care in the primary care setting.
The study is currently recruiting an additional 10 primary care practices (family medicine, pediatrics or internal medicine). We are looking for small to medium sized practices with 2-4 physicians. Each participating physician will be asked to recruit a minimum of 10 patients age 12 and above wtih a history of chronic persisten asthma requiring controller therapy. You may participate if you are already using an EMR or if you are still using paper charts.
Physicians and patients will be compensated for their participating in the study. For more information, contact Mindy Spano (mspano@aafp.org) or Karen Sparks (ksparks@aafp.org) at the AAFP NRN. Our goal is to have all practices recruited by October 31.