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Rebecca Kalin, MA, MPH, AFSZ, Real World Foundation, 131 Avenue B, #1B, Charlie Parker Place, New York, NY 10009, 212-460-5361, asthmafsz@aol.com
According to the American Lung Association (2003), asthma affects more than 5.2 million school-aged children, and accounts for 14 million lost school days each year. The nation’s 89,000 public schools vary widely in how they help children manage and prevent asthma. Missed school days are very often due to parental fears that schools will not manage their children’s asthma effectively. The Asthma Free School Zone (AFSZ) program aims to reduce asthma-related absenteeism and illness by training school and community members to recognize environmental health risks and push for changes necessary for safe, healthy school zones. Integrating asthma prevention, environmental improvement and community empowerment, the program trains underserved populations to advocate for healthier environments, and to fight the well-known cycle of poor health and poverty that happens when excessive school absenteeism leads to school failure and, in turn, to dropping out. By focusing on outdoor air quality in urban canyons, the AFSZ aims for disease prevention over management. By beginning with community empowerment, the AFSZ has demonstrated it has the potential to go beyond the individual with asthma to socio-economic and public policy spheres that affect all people with asthma, as well as other respiratory diseases. Legislation to make all NYC schools AFSZ schools was introduced in February 2004.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to
Keywords: Asthma, Environmental Health
Related Web page: www.afsz.org
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.