Because Every Breath Counts

Why Asthma?

• Asthma is the leading cause of missed school days and emergency room trips for a chronic disease

• Pediatric asthma rates nearly doubled between 1980 and 1995

Why Asthma?

More than 80,000 Alaskan adults report that they have suffered from asthma at some point in their lives (13% lifetime prevalence) and more than 60,000 report a current diagnosis (9%).

BRFSS 2004

Healthy Alaskans 2010

Why Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease and controlling it requires individual and societal change by patients, families, providers and health care systems.

Changes need to be made in diagnosis and treatment, self-management and environmental modifications, insurance reimbursement, and public education.

Change of this magnitude requires a broad-based partnership to plan and implement programs at both the local and state levels.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Asthma Control Program recommends that states build and sustain a statewide asthma coalition as an effective strategy to address this growing public health issue.

Alaska Building Science Network Alaska Center for Pediatrics Asthma Committee of the Alaska Native Medical

Center (ANMC) AK Native Tribal Health Consort. Alaska Nurse Practitioner Assoc. Alaska Nurses Association Alaska Pharmacy Association Alaska Primary Care Association Alaska Public Health Association AK Society for Respiratory Care Alaska Thoracic Society Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics

(AANMA)  American Heart Association American Lung Association of AK Anchorage School District Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America – AK Bristol Bay Area Health Corp.

CDC/NIOSH ConocoPhillips Denali Center Fairbanks Memorial Elmendorf AFB Health Promotions Fort Richardson Health Promotions Fred Meyers Pharmacy Genentech Pharmaceuticals GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Muni of Anchorage - Environmental Health Professional Infusion Pharmacy Providence Alaska Medical Center Solutions to Healthy Breathing Southcentral Foundation State of Alaska (SOA) Department of Health and

Human Services – Epidemiology SOA CHEMS Health Promotions SOA Division of Medicaid The Nerland Agency U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs UAA Health/Fairbanks UAA/Circumpolar Health Studies

Short-term Coalition Activities

Finalize the Alaska State Asthma Plan to address asthma in Alaska

Host the 2nd Annual Alaska Asthma Summit in partnership with the Alaska Health Summit.

Enhanced asthma surveillance and data analysis Develop and implement an electronic asthma action

plan Implement and promote the new law mandating AK

public schools to allow children to carry and use their inhalers and epi-pens

Build sustainability for the Alaska State Asthma Plan

Long-term Goals

Reduce asthma mortality and morbidity

Control the cost of care Improve quality of life for

asthma patients

Through…

Surveillance & evaluation Scientific interventions, including provider and patient

education and strategies Work-related asthma interventions Youth initiatives and school-based programs Media and public awareness Partnering Policy Change

Contact Information

Marge Larson, Steering Committee Member (907) 644-6405 mlarson@aklung.org

Michelle Ferreira, Asthma Coalition Coordinator

(907) 644-6417

mferreira@aklung.org