Managing Asthma

Sheila Brown

Indoor Environments Division

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

Washington, DC

Living Well ^ with Asthma

Indoors

2

Objectives

Overview of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Indoor Environments Division (IED) Asthma Program Defining EPA’s Role in the Asthma Community

EPA, NIH, CDC and State Asthma Programs Working together, so everyone can live well with asthma

EPA IED Asthma Program Available Resources Sharing indoor air quality public education and outreach resources

3

Overview of EPA IED

MissionReduce the public’s health risks of

indoor environmental pollutants

Major Streams of Work Asthma ETS/SHS Schools Large Buildings Radon

4

Overview of EPA IED

IED uses a range of voluntary, non-regulatory community-based approaches to reduce the health risks from indoor air pollutants.

EPA Regional Offices Other Federal Agencies State and Local Governments Coalitions National and Field Affiliate Partners

5

Overview of EPA IED’s Asthma Program Defining EPA’s Role in the Asthma Community

Asthma can be controlled with medical treatment and management of environmental asthma triggers. Indoor environment plays an important role in increasing asthma

problem. Exposure to indoor allergens can exacerbate asthma symptoms. Exposure to secondhand smoke and dust mites in children can cause

asthma. Supportive of the need to mitigate exposures. Peer-Reviewed Science

National Academy of Science’s Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures Report (2000) – http://books.nap.edu/catalog/9610.html

Accepted Clinical GuidanceNational Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) Guidelines –

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm

6

Overview of EPA IED’s Asthma Program Defining EPA’s Role in the Asthma Community

Created a multi-pronged program to combat asthma. Program is committed to: Prevent asthma symptoms by reducing people’s exposure to indoor

environmental triggers. Promote and stress incorporation of indoor environmental management of

asthma into comprehensive asthma management programs. Support the integration of environmental management into medical and

healthcare asthma practices. Collaborate with organizations with common goals:

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) Healthcare and Health Plan Organizations National Non-Profit Organizations School-Districts

7

Indoor Asthma Triggers

Secondhand Smoke Dust Mites Mold Pests Pets

IED’s Focus:

8

IED’s Asthma Program Components

•Improving Environments in Schools

•School and Childcare-Based Asthma Education

•In-Home Asthma Education

•Reducing Secondhand Smoke Exposure

•National Media Campaign

•Healthcare/Health Plan/Provider Education

9

EPA, NIH, CDC and State Asthma Programs Working together, so everyone can live well with asthma

Working together we can: Integrate indoor environmental controls into asthma prevention/intervention

program strategies and medical/healthcare asthma management practices. Incorporate indoor environmental management of asthma into individual

comprehensive asthma management plans. Implement interventions to reduce children’s exposure to secondhand smoke

and major indoor allergens. Convince policy makers to include asthma prevention/intervention tools,

such as mattress covers, pillow covers, etc. into standard medical coverage programs.

Combine shared success stories, challenges and resources into comprehensive asthma prevention/intervention best practices guides used to conduct asthma programs.

10

EPA IED Asthma Program Available ResourcesSharing IAQ public education and outreach resources

EPA Asthma Program – www.epa.gov/iaq/asthma EPA Regional Asthma Programs –

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/regionia.html Smoke-Free Home Initiative – http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/ – IAQ Tools for Schools Program –

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/index.html IAQ hotlines - http://www.epa.gov/iaq/iaqxline.html IAQ publications – http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/index.html State Indoor Air Quality Contacts

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/contacts.html

11

EPA IED Asthma Program Available ResourcesSharing IAQ public education and outreach resources

Mark your calendars: National Home Indoor Air Quality Action and Awareness Month –

annually in October – www.healthyindoorair.org Children’s Health Month – annually in October

www.childrenshealth.gov World Asthma Day – annual event - Tuesday, May 6, 2003

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/asthma/worldasthmaday/eventplanningkit.html Second National Conference on Asthma Management – June 19 –

21, 2003, Washington, DC – http://imageits.com/clients/ca_asthma/www/about.html

IAQ TFS Kit Managing Asthma in Schools

2002 National Asthma Conference, "Living Well With Asthma," 8:00 am - 9:15 am Plenary Session 10-25-02

13

Remember the C’s

Compliance with a medical plan + Change the indoor

environment = Control Asthma, Live Well

EPA, CDC and State Asthma Programs Taking Action Together Can Combat Asthma

Contact EPA IED – 202-564-9370 – www.epa.gov/iaqSheila Brown, 202-564-9439, brown.sheila@epa.gov