 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Henry Anderson, MD1, Daniel Luttinger, PhD MBA2, Claire H. Prince, JD, MSEL3, Kristin J. Ryan, MS4, Monty Elder, MS, REHP5, William A. Vance, PhD6, Lynn Schuster, RN BSN MSN7, Jean Woodward8, Amy D. Kyle, PhD MPH9, A. Christine Eppstein, LLB LLM10, Patricia I. Elliott, JD MPH11, and Rebecca L. Smullin, MPH11. (1) Bureau of Occupational Health, Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Public Health, 1 West Wilson Street, Room B157, P.O. Box 2659, Madison, WI 53701-2659, (608) 266-1253, anderha@dhfs.state.wi.us, (2) New York State Department of Health, Center for Environmental Health, 547 River Street, Troy, NY 12180, (3) South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, (4) Department of Environmental Conservation, State of Alaska, 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501, (5) Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 1677, Oklahoma City, OK 73101-1677, (6) California Environmental Protection Agency, 1011 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, (7) Tennessee Department of Health, School Health/Asthma Program, 425 5th Avenue North, Cordell Hull Bldg, 6th floor, Nashville, TN 37247-5210, (8) Idaho Division of Health, Bureau of Environmental Health and Safety, 450 W. State St, Fourth floor, Boise, ID 83720, (9) Environmental Health Sciences Division, University of California Berkeley, School of Public Health, 322 Cortland Ave, PMB-226, San Francisco, CA 94110-5536, (10) Environmental Council of the States, 444 N. Capitol Street, Suite 445, Washington, DC 20001, (11) Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), 1275 K St NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005
State health and environment agencies are increasingly recognizing the advantages of working together on environmental health issues. The Environmental Council of the States and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials sponsored an initiative to jointly identify steps that states can take to address indoor and outdoor environmental factors that contribute to asthma in children, with funding assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The results, "Catching Your Breath: Strategies to Reduce Environmental Factors that Contribute to Asthma in Children," provides a menu of concrete, workable actions that states can take. The action agenda was developed through a conference and a series of workshops involving about 250 individuals, including representatives of 40 state health and environment agencies, as well as federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other groups. The action agenda addresses needs for greater communication and coordination between health and environment agencies; strategies for homes, schools and child care environments; improved control of air pollution sources such as diesel emissions, particularly in environments where children congregate; and further research, particularly on the efficacy of control measures. The role of the education, transportation, and housing sectors are recognized. The results reflect an integration of the disciplines and capabilities of the fields of health and environment and have applications to the development of systems for environmental public health tracking.
Learning Objectives:
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.