The New York Health Resource and Service Administration (HRSA) field office has identified morbidity and mortality resulting from asthma in the population residing in Region II which include New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands as a regional priority. The prevalence of asthma is rising for the entire population but is disproportionately affecting children, the elderly, minority populations and those living in poverty. In summer, 1999, a Field Office Asthma Plan including specific action steps was developed to address this problem and to establish a leadership role to assist states and communities to take action. The first step was to identify current regional data on asthma which is collected and analyzed and then to develop and conduct baseline survey of key informants in the Region II jurisdiction on their data on asthma, prevention programs, and their suggestions for HRSA. A three page New York HRSA field office Asthma Survey was developed and list of key informants for the targeted telephone survey was identified. An informational letter with a copy of the survey was mailed prior to the phone contact. The survey identified major gaps in surveillance data, needs to develop community outreach and primary prevention programs, and assistance from HRSA. Survey findings will be shared with key policy makers and program managers at federal and state level who serve on the planning committee for the Region II HRSA Asthma Summit and as resource for the development of the Regional and State Asthma Action Plans.
Learning Objectives: 1) Relate the results of a survey on policy and program development in public health at regional and state level 2) Develop a short questionnaire survey on Asthma 3) Identify strategies in utilizing summer internship opportunity effectively
Keywords: Asthma, Policy/Policy Development
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
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.