National survey on environmental management of asthma

Susan Conrath, PhD, MPH, Environmental Protection Agency, Indoor Environments Division, Public Health Service, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, Mailcode: 6609J, Washington, DC 20460, 202 343-9389, conrath.susan@epa.gov and Alison Freeman, MA, Indoor Environments Division, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Mailcode 6609J, Washington, DC 20460.

EPA's Indoor Environments Division has just completed its "National Survey on Environmental Management of Asthma." This is a nation-wide survey of awareness of and existing attitudes toward asthma and its environmental triggers. The survey is unique in collecting data on actions taken on environmental management of asthma and barriers to implementation encountered. Over 14,000 households completed screening questionnaires and over 2300 asthmatics [or their caregivers] completed in depth asthma questionnaires. The survey had a sizable Environmental Tobacco Smoke [ETS] component as well as an analysis of the effect of Asthma Management Plans [AMPs] on types of medication used and actions implemented. While final analysis is still ongoing, we anticipate that the results [to be presented at the meeting] will provide information which will allow the public health community to refine outreach messages to at risk and/or disproportionately affected populations to achieve maximum impact.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

1. List five common environmental triggers of asthma
2. Articulate the environmental trigger awareness level of the affected population [asthmatics]
3. Describe common actions to mitigate environmental triggers and barriers to taking these actions
4. Assess the impact of a written Asthma Management Plan on actions taken to combat asthma
5. Describe the characteristics of children most at risk for exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke [ETS]
6. Describe the characteristics of the populations that should be targeted to ensure that messages on ETS and asthma reach the at risk and/or disproportionately affected audiences

Keywords: Asthma, Survey

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.

Environmental Contaminants and Assessment of Exposure

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA