Sections of the plan
describe asthma, the
burden of asthma in
Ohio, how the plan
was developed, how
the plan will be
evaluated and the
goals and objectives
of the plan. A
section of the plan
called “How to Use
the Plan”, suggests
some activities that
may be employed by
organizations around
the state to
contribute to
efforts to address
asthma. It is hoped
that many
organizations will
implement these and
other activities.
Why
develop a Statewide
Asthma Plan?
Asthma is a chronic
lung disease caused
by airway
inflammation that
periodically results
in reversible
airflow
obstruction. Asthma
is one of the 10
leading chronic
conditions that
restrict
activity. Currently,
there are no
preventive measures
or cure for asthma;
however, people who
have asthma can
still lead active,
productive lives if
they control their
asthma. Control of
asthma can be
achieved by taking
medication as
recommended by the
National Institutes
of Health
“Guidelines for
Diagnosis and
Management of
Asthma” and by
avoiding contact
with environmental
triggers for
asthma. If asthma
is controlled,
consequences of the
disease may be
avoided. The
consequences may
include coughing,
shortness of breath,
reduced quality of
life and activity,
need for emergency
care and
hospitalization and
even
death. Prevention
efforts, therefore,
must focus on
assuring adequate
treatment according
to National
Institutes of Health
“Guidelines for the
Diagnosis and
Management of
Asthma” (NIH
Guidelines) and on
controlling
exposures to
environmental
“triggers”.
Asthma is an
important public
health problem and
has been described
as an epidemic by
the U.S. Department
of Health and Human
Services in its 2000
publication, “Action
Against
Asthma”. Currently
in Ohio one in ten
adults has been
diagnosed with
asthma and asthma is
seen more frequently
in children.
Prevalence rates for
black residents of
Ohio are 44 percent
higher than for
white residents.
Ohioans with incomes
$15,000 or less are
64 percent more
likely to have been
told they have
asthma than those
making more than
$50,000.
Asthma is the number
one cause of school
absenteeism due to
chronic illness
resulting in
approximately 14
million missed
school days and an
estimated $957
million loss from
caretakers’ time off
work. One in four
women with asthma in
Ohio report having
asthma symptoms
every day for the
past four weeks. The
steady rise in the
proportion of the
population
developing the
disease and its
severity, have been
a major impetus for
development of the
Ohio Asthma
Coalition and this
plan.
By coordinating
efforts we hope to
reduce the burden of
this disease and
improve the quality
of life for people
with asthma in
Ohio. Formation of
an Ohio Statewide
Asthma plan will
allow individuals
and organizations,
working on asthma
related issues, to
maximize impact
through combined
resources while at
the same time
minimizing
duplication of
effort. The
coalition has agreed
that this is a
living plan that
will be updated and
modified on a
regular basis.
What is the Ohio
Asthma Coalition?
The Ohio Asthma
Coalition (OAC) was
formed through a
joint effort of the
Ohio Department of
Health (ODH) Asthma
Program and the
American Lung
Association of Ohio
(ALAO) following
adoption of a
Memorandum of
Understanding for
that purpose by both
organizations. In
order to provide
infrastructure to
the coalition, a
steering committee
was formed of major
stakeholders and
stakeholder
organizations. The
OAC was inaugurated
on June 3, 2003, to
address the vision
and mission
developed by the
steering committee:
|
 |
Vision |
Living with
Asthma |
|
 |
|
|
Mission |
Improve the
lives of Ohioans
with Asthma |
The coalition
consists of 110
individuals
representing 50
organizations
located in every
region of Ohio. All
individuals have
been asked to serve
on committees at
this time.
How was the Ohio
Statewide Asthma
Plan developed?
The Ohio Statewide
Asthma Plan has been
a collaborative
effort involving all
of the committees of
the OAC and most of
the members of the
OAC. Committees were
formed and began
developing goals and
objectives for the
plan. A plan task
force composed of
members of the
steering committee
produced the plan
based on goals and
objectives submitted
by the committees.
The task force
determined the
format of the plan
with approval of the
steering committee.
The plan was
presented to the
entire coalition for
review and comments
at the March 5,
2004, general
meeting of the
OAC. The final plan
was distributed to
the membership in
early June and
adopted by the
membership at the
June 18, 2004, OAC
annual meeting.
What does the Ohio
Statewide Asthma
Plan include?
The goals and
objectives of the
plan have been drawn
from the Healthy
People 2010 asthma
goals:
|
|
Reduce
Asthma
deaths |
|
|
|
|
Reduce
hospitalizations
for Asthma |
|
|
|
|
Reduce
hospital
emergency
department
visits for
Asthma |
|
|
|
|
Reduce
activity
limitations
among
persons with
Asthma |
|
|
|
|
(Developmental)
Reduce the
number of
school or
work days
missed by
persons with
Asthma |
|
|
|
|
Increase the
proportion
of persons
with Asthma
who receive
formal
patient
education,
including
information
about
community
and
self-help
resources,
as an
essential
part of the
management
of their
condition |
|
|
|
|
(Developmental)
Increase the
proportion
of persons
with Asthma
who receive
appropriate
Asthma care
according to
the NAEPP
Guidelines |
|
|
|
|
(Developmental)
Establish in
at least 25
states a
surveillance
system for
tracking
Asthma
deaths,
illness,
disability,
impact of
occupational
and
environmental
factors on
Asthma,
access to
medical
care, and
Asthma
management |
Goals and objectives
have been organized
by the committee
that developed them,
as follows:
Advocacy and
Legislation
Mission:
Promote change in
Ohio community norms
regarding asthma,
through awareness
building, policy
development,
legislative action
and advocacy.
Goals:
1. Educate
policymakers and
develop policies
that promote the
implementation and
evaluation of
community-based
interventions to
decrease to burden
of Asthma in Ohio.
2. By June 2009, the
legislative /
advocacy committee
will have
established
relationships with
legislators and will
have facilitated at
least one
legislative
initiative to
facilitate in
community norms
regarding Asthma.
Clinical Practice
Mission:
To improve
diagnosis,
treatment, and
management of Asthma
by Ohio healthcare
providers with
guidance from
evidence-based
standards.
Goals:
1. Facilitate
the development of
local and regional
community
infrastructure to
support people with
Asthma.
Data
/ Research
Mission:
Support the
development and use
of asthma
surveillance data
and to promote
asthma research in
the State of Ohio
through education,
the facilitation of
partnerships and the
provision of
networking
opportunities.
Goals:
1.
Facilitate the
development and
maintenance of a
statewide asthma
surveillance
system.
2.
Facilitate the
distribution of
data from Ohio
Surveillance
System for
Asthma (OSSA) as
well as
informational
resources about
data/research on
asthma
throughout Ohio.
3.
Facilitate
research on
asthma in Ohio.
Education
Committee
Mission:
Promote asthma
management and
understanding
through effective
quality and best
practice education
and provide
materials to health
care professionals
and to those who are
affected by asthma.
Goals:
1.
Individuals and
groups will have
access to
evidence-based
programs and
material that
will develop
asthma
self-management
skills and
improve
outcomes.
2.
Identify,
acquire and
evaluate
culturally and
linguistically
appropriate
asthma programs
and materials.
3.
Develop
standards for
effective asthma
programs and
materials to be
used by the
coalition.
4.
Assist local
coalitions,
local health
departments and
other agencies
to provide
effective
quality and best
practice asthma
education
through the
development of
an OAC
clearinghouse
that consist of
validated
materials and
programs that
meet the NIH
Guidelines and
NAEPP standards.
5.
Develop an
annual Ohio
Asthma
Conference
focused on
asthma education
issues.
Environmental
Quality
Mission:
Identify and reduce
exposure of Ohioans
to environmental
asthma triggers.
Indoor Air Goals:
Schools
1.
By August 2009,
increase in the
number of school
personnel who
are trained to
identify and
control
environmental
triggers in
schools by 10
percent.
2.
By August 2009,
reduce asthma
triggers in
schools through
a 10 percent
increase in the
number of
schools that are
implementing an
IAQ management
plan that
includes asthma
trigger
management.
Occupational
1.
Increase in the
percentage of
asthmatics that
are trained to
identify and
avoid
environmental
triggers in the
workplace.
2.
By August 2006,
provide
educational
materials
related to
occupational
asthma.
3.
By August 2009,
ten percent
reduction in the
known
occupational
asthma related
incidents.
Residential
1.
Increase in the
number of
asthmatics that
can identify and
control
environmental
triggers in the
home.
2.
Reduce exposure
to asthma
triggers through
education for
resident
buyers/owners/
renters.
3.
By August 2009,
reduce
residential-related
asthma incidents
due to
second-hand
smoke.
Outdoor Air Goals:
1.
Increase
education and
media efforts to
reduce exposure
to outdoor
anthropogenic
(man-made)
environmental
triggers.
2.
By August 2009,
reduce asthma
incidents due to
diesel and
automobile
emissions.
3.
By August 2009,
develop asthma
intervention
strategies or
environmental
maintenance
plans for areas
in Ohio that
exceed National
Ambient Air
Quality
Standards (NAAQS).
Public Awareness
Mission:
Increase public
awareness and
understanding about
the seriousness of
asthma and its
long-term effects
throughout Ohio
communities.
Goals:
1.
Develop and
implement a
statewide
strategy to
increase public
awareness and
understanding
about the
seriousness of
asthma and its
long-term
effects
throughout Ohio
communities.
What happens
next?
1. The Ohio
Statewide Asthma
Plan will be
distributed to all
major stakeholders
and made available
on founding member
organization
websites. OAC and
its founding
organizations and
members will promote
the plan and its use
in addressing the
burden of asthma in
Ohio.
2. The OAC will
continue in its
prioritization and
implementation of
the Ohio Statewide
Asthma plan.
Members will focus
on developing
sustainable
strategies to
institutionalize
change to improve
the lives of people
with asthma and
evaluation of the
plan on a regular
basis. The steering
committee is
developing strategic
plans for financial
resources and
membership
development and
maintenance.
3. An evaluation
committee has been
formed to monitor
progress of
implementation of
the plan and to
assist committees in
development of
modifications as
processes and
projects evolve.
Biennial evaluations
will be conducted.
