Today’s Agenda• What is Asthma

• Asthma and Healthy Homes

• Why Asthma is a Concern in Maine

Asthma is:

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that may cause:

Wheezing Breathlessness Chest tightness Night-time or early morning coughing

Pathology of Asthma

Source: “What You and Your Family Can Do About Asthma” by the Global Initiative For Asthma Created and funded by NIH/NHLBI, 1995

Normal Asthma

Asthma involves inflammation of the airways

Asthma in Maine(BRFSS Data)

•Maine has the 3rd highest adult current asthma rate in the US at 10.3%. Nat’l avg. 8.5%

•Maine’s current child asthma rate is 9.4%. Nat’l avg. 9%.

•In 2000, Maine’s current adult asthma rate was 8.9% - highest in the US. Nat’l avg. 7.2%.

Asthma Prevalence DowneastAdults

Asthma Disparities in the U.S. Low-income populations, minorities, and children living

in inner cities experience more ED visits, hospitalizations, and deaths due to asthma than the general population.1

The burden of asthma falls disproportionately on non-Hispanic black, American Indian/Alaskan Native and some Hispanic (i.e., Puerto Rican) populations.2, 3

Adults and children on MaineCare have higher asthma prevalence than individuals with other types of insurance.

1Lieu TA et al. Racial/Ethnic Variation in Asthma Status and Management Practices Among Children in Managed Medicaid. Pediatrics 2002; 109:857–865.

2National Center for Health Statistics. Health data for all ages http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/health_data_for_all_ages.htm.

3Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and National Pharmaceutical Council. Ethnic Disparities in the Burden and Treatment of Asthma. Reston, 2005.

Risk Factors for Developing Asthma

Genetic characteristics Occupational exposures Environmental exposures

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

Indoor Environmental Asthma Triggers

• Oil & Wood heat - fumes, dust, smoke• Old Homes - dust and mold• Odors from cleaning products • Fumes from Furniture and Carpets• Cockroaches/Pests – feces & shell material• Pets: fur, hair & dander• Personal scents – perfume & cologne• Secondhand smoke

Other Asthma TriggersAir pollution

Trees, grass, and weed pollen

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

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

Summary: A Public Health Response to Asthma

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.

Maine Asthma Program Contacts

Jim Braddick - 287-7302

Desi-Rae Severson – 287- 3041

http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/bohdcfh/mat/