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

Abstract #113870

Ameesha Mehta-Sampath, MPH, Radiation and Indoor Air Branch, US Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10007, 212 637-4006, mehta-sampath.ameesha@epa.gov, Lourdes E. Soto de Laurido, EdD, MPHE, CHES, Director, College of Health-Related Professions/Health Education, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067, Maureen O'Neill, MURP, Office of the Regional Administrator, US Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10007, and Alberto Rivera Rentas, PhD, Interdisciplinary Research Institute, Universidad del Turabo, P.O. Box 21150, San Juan, PR 00926.

Asthma and air quality are a significant and a potentially costly public health issue in Puerto Rico. The CDC has reported that in Puerto Rico, 320,350 adults have asthma and this number represents 11.5% of the island adult population. Last year, a parent-reported asthma prevalence, morbidity, and healthcare utilization survey illustrated that children in public and private schools were reported to have asthma (32.6% vs. 23.7%) respectively.

The US EPA in partnership with the University of Puerto Rico, Universidad del Turabo, the Education and Health Departments and others have been able to implement strategic, innovative, and multi-pronged projects in the island that link indoor and outdoor air quality, asthma patients and their families, schools, community health workers, government and non-profit organizations. Some of the programs include Proyecto Aire, and the Asthma Goes Theater (AGT) project.

Pulling together diverse organizations to create Asthma Partners in Puerto Rico programs resulted in the development of creative, innovative, sustainable programs which are evaluated by specific indicators. These strategic environmental partnerships can be easily being replicated in areas with high asthma rates.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Construct and create a multi-pronged asthma education and intervention program with diverse organizations on the Federal, State and Local Level.
• 2. Identify and develop innovative approaches to asthma education and intervention in schools with very limited budgets."
• 3. Analyze and Evaluate specific environmental and health indicators to assess progress.

Keywords: Environmental Health, School Health

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.

Recorded presentation