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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Dorothy Elfring, MPH1, Sandra Thomas, MD, MS2, Jura Scharf, MA1, Edward Naureckas, MD3, C. Lucy Park, MD4, and Evalyn N. Grant, MD5. (1) Chicago Asthma Consortium, 400 N. May St., Suite 304, Chicago, IL 60622, (2) Epidemiology, Chicago Department of Public Health, 333 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60604, (3) Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Av., MC-6026, Chicago, IL 60637, (4) Pediatric Allergy & Pulmonology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., MC-856, Chicago, IL 60612, (5) Regional Medical Director, Merck & Co., Inc., 175 North Taylor Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302, 760-763-0920, delfring@chicagoasthma.org
The CAC was organized to address the asthma crisis in the Chicago area on the premise that bringing together the key constituencies would improve the situation. Personal outreach through the lead organizations secured the cooperation and participation of appropriate academics and health care professionals and institutions but also of the wider community, including grass roots lay persons, government agencies, and community-based organizations. Committees focus on appropriate asthma care, increasing awareness of asthma and characterizing the impact of asthma on the Chicago community. The CAC became an independent not-for-profit in 2000. Successes: Bringing in new members especially representatives of community level and managed care organizations. Securing relevant data from an area drug company. Challenges: Emphasizing continued collaboration during a time of increased resources for asthma projects and characterizing the main purpose and goals of the group to the non-healthcare community. Results: Illinois hospitals showed a 10% decline in asthma hospital admissions from 1997. Prescription data shows a small but definite improvement in inhaled steroid/beta-agonist prescriptions filled ratio. Working with a state-wide coalition brought a change in medication policy to allow all Illinois school children to carry their inhalers in school. No change in the number of members despite charge of membership dues beginning in 1999. Conclusion: The collaborative model remains effective at creating policy changes, sustaining an active membership base, and acting as a clearinghouse of local asthma information. Reaching out to the stakeholders in the non-healthcare community is a necessary next step in the ongoing development of an independent asthma coalition.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Asthma, Coalition
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.