"The government has done an incredible job recognizing the impact of asthma and working with the broad medical community to help millions of people better understand how to control this disease," said Chris Ward, a patient with asthma and allergies and President of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. "Yet, despite the availability of effective treatments and management strategies, a roadmap for asthma research and coordination of activity is needed to reach American communities most in need. The Family Asthma Act is that roadmap."
The Family Asthma Act authorizes $18 million in each of fiscal years 2006- 2010 for pilot prevention and intervention research projects administered by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), an expansion of activities by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), better mechanisms to coordinate Federal asthma-related activities, and new training grants for asthma care providers and education specialists.
Nearly 20 million Americans, including over 6 million children are diagnosed with asthma, and African Americans and certain Hispanic populations are disproportionately affected. Asthma prevalence is projected to reach a rate of 1 in 14 Americans and will affect 1 in 5 families by the year 2020. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the NIH estimates the annual cost of asthma in the U.S. in 2004 was over $16 billion.
THE FACE OF ASTHMA
Kevin Hall is a 12-year-old who represents two populations hit hard by asthma -- African Americans and children. "I remember spending so much energy just trying to prevent ER visits and keep my son out of the hospital," said his mother Renee. Kevin's story brings to life how the Family Asthma Act could benefit asthma sufferers nationwide.
For years Kevin's severe asthma was poorly controlled and he missed an average of 70 days of school each year, and made up to three emergency room visits every month. Finally, through better education about the disease and improved communication between Kevin, his doctors and his family, he and his mother learned about a new a kind of asthma therapy to treat an underlying cause of his asthma, and they learned how to better control asthma inside and outside the home. Since then, Kevin's lung function has improved to 98 percent, he has been out of the emergency room for more than a year and he completed an entire nine-week school period without missing a single day. "He looks like the picture of health. I don't have to restrict him any more," says his mother. "This is the first summer where he's finally having a summer."
Kevin and Renee learned the hard way, through many years of living with uncontrolled asthma. The Family Asthma Act will support community efforts to help millions of American families like the Halls learn about asthma and how to prevent and treat this chronic disease before it's too late.
RESPONDING TO A NATIONAL CRISIS
The Family Asthma Act proposes to support education and outreach initiatives to help people better understand and control their asthma. Health education programs that focus on teaching patients and their families about asthma are proven methods and can make a big difference in the lives of patients. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America develops these kinds of community outreach and education programs to help children, adults and health care providers.
As one example, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has created an education program called "Sleep, Work, Play" (http://www.SleepWorkPlay.com) to improve communication between asthma patients, families and health care providers. "Sleep, Work, Play" (also "Sleep, Learn, Play" for kids) is simple and easy to remember and incorporates the three essential components of life in evaluating, communicating and achieving better control of asthma. This program provides online tools and printed materials to help people learn and talk about asthma. The Family Asthma Act could support quality health programs like this one.