Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111377

Shao Lin, PhD and Christine Kielb, MSPH. Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Dept. of Health, Flanigan Square, Room 200, Troy, NY 12180, (518) 402-7990, clk03@health.state.ny.us

Background: Asthma is the most common chronic disease among elementary age school children in the United States and a leading cause of school absences. Of all school staff, the school nurse is most likely to know about asthma morbidity, management, education, and programs. Methods: This survey of nurses in New York State (NYS) elementary schools (excluding New York City) was conducted in the spring of 2003 with support from the NYS Education Department, the NYS School Nurses Association, the American Lung Association, the Healthy Schools Network, and the NYS Asthma Coalitions. Nurses were asked how many students had asthma, and how many were affected in various ways by having asthma. They were also asked about asthma medication availability, asthma programs, asthma education and educational needs, and obstacles to asthma management. Nurses also rated school indoor air quality (IAQ, and their knowledge of asthma triggers was assessed. Results: A total of 1550 surveys were analyzed. The reported prevalence of asthma among students in grades pre-kindergarten to six in participating schools was 8.5%. Nurses reported that over the 2002-2003 school year, 4.7% of students visited the health office at least once for symptoms, and 2.2% were absent due to asthma. About one third of nurses reported a school-based asthma management program. One third rated school IAQ as “fair” or “poor”, and the most important asthma triggers identified were dust, mold, cleaners, school supplies, bus fumes, and construction dust. The main obstacles to asthma management reported were lack of time and funding.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn about and be able to describe asthma morbidity among school children in New York State elementary schools; school-based asthma management, education and programs; nurse educational needs with respect to asthma and asthma triggers; obstacles to asthma management; and nurse perceptions of school indoor air quality.

Keywords: Asthma, Children

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.