Thinking upstream: Preventing asthma-related illness and absenteeism by improving air quality in school zones

Ambient (outdoor) air pollution is now recognized as an important public health problem. In addition to associations between air pollution and respiratory symptoms, asthma flare-ups, and asthma hospitalizations, recent studies have found links between air pollution and pre-mature birth, infant mortality, poor lung growth, cardiac failure, and possibly, development of asthma. Moreover, there has been a proliferation of studies finding important health effects from air pollution at levels once considered safe. Despite such growing evidence, little attention has been given to organizing and training the public to recognize and address local sources of pollution. The Asthma Free School Zone program aims to keep kids in class by training school and community members to take steps to improve the air quality in the microenvironment of schools to prevent asthma-related illness and absenteeism. In step with the Precautionary Principle tenets that prevention is better than management and knowledge is key to behavioral change, the AFSZ core program begins with school zone designation, environmental health training for schools, and multi-channel outreach to school neighborhoods. This session will describe the AFSZ program in more detail, including air sampling efforts that aim to draw attention to unrecognized and/or unaddressed environmental health threats and to inform public and institutional policy spheres. Now beginning a federally-funded, three-year expansion phase, the AFSZ, a project of Real World Foundation, is currently implemented in 30 NYC elementary schools.