Because Every Breath Counts

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Because Every Breath Counts
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Why Asthma?

• Asthma is the leading cause of missed school days
  and emergency room trips for a chronic disease
• Pediatric asthma rates nearly doubled between
  1980 and 1995

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Why Asthma?

• More than 80,000 Alaskan adults report that they
  have suffered from asthma at some point in their
  lives (13 lifetime prevalence) and more than
  60,000 report a current diagnosis (9).
  BRFSS 2004

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Healthy Alaskans 2010
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Why Asthma?

• Asthma is a chronic disease and controlling it
  requires individual and societal change by
  patients, families, providers and health care
  systems.
• Changes need to be made in diagnosis and
  treatment, self-management and environmental
  modifications, insurance reimbursement, and
  public education.

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• Change of this magnitude requires a broad-based
  partnership to plan and implement programs at
  both the local and state levels.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Asthma Control Program recommends that states
  build and sustain a statewide asthma coalition as
  an effective strategy to address this growing
  public health issue.

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History

• 30 states have formal asthma coalitions and
  developed/are developing State Asthma Plans
• Most states have public health department
  programs funded by Centers for Disease Control
  Prevention (CDC) to develop and implement a
  State Asthma Plan
• Some states not funded have self-sustaining
  asthma coalitions
• Alaska State Public Health Department is not, to
  date, funded by CDC for an Asthma Control Program

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Background and Process

• In 2003 the American Lung Association of Alaska
  (ALA Alaska) and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of
  America- Alaska Chapter (AAFA-Alaska) received
  Congressional funding to address asthma in
  Alaska.
• ALA Alaska committed to develop an Alaska
  Coalition and sponsor an Alaska Asthma Summit
  with the goal of developing an Alaska Asthma Plan
  in lieu of a state asthma program
• In Early 2004 the Alaska Asthma Coalition, a
  group of committed partners from diverse
  backgrounds who share the common goal of
  improving asthma care, was formed.

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Background and Process

• A Leadership Planning Team was identified and the
  process started in March, 2004 first leading to
  information gathering on asthma surveillance,
  stakeholders, opportunities, barriers, and
  outcomes.
• At a retreat in April, 2004 this information was
  reviewed and Task Forces on surveillance,
  scientific interventions, partnering, policy, and
  education, school based programs, and work-based
  asthma were formed and plans for the first Alaska
  Asthma Summit finalized. The Task Forces began to
  work on goals.
• Delegates to the Summit were selected from the
  diverse stakeholders of Alaskaparents and
  patients with asthma, individuals with rural and
  urban, native and non-native backgrounds, health
  care providers, planners, and payors both public
  and private, marketing and pharmaceutical
  representatives, business owners, educators, and
  policymakers.

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• CDC/NIOSH
• ConocoPhillips
• Denali Center Fairbanks Memorial
• Elmendorf AFB Health Promotions
• Fort Richardson Health Promotions
• Fred Meyers Pharmacy
• Genentech Pharmaceuticals
• GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals
• Muni of Anchorage - Environmental Health
• Professional Infusion Pharmacy
• Providence Alaska Medical Center
• Solutions to Healthy Breathing
• Southcentral Foundation
• State of Alaska (SOA) Department of Health and
  Human Services Epidemiology
• SOA CHEMS Health Promotions
• SOA Division of Medicaid
• The Nerland Agency
• U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
• UAA Health/Fairbanks

• Alaska Building Science Network
• Alaska Center for Pediatrics
• Asthma Committee of the Alaska Native Medical
  Center (ANMC)
• AK Native Tribal Health Consort.
• Alaska Nurse Practitioner Assoc.
• Alaska Nurses Association
• Alaska Pharmacy Association
• Alaska Primary Care Association
• Alaska Public Health Association
• AK Society for Respiratory Care
• Alaska Thoracic Society
• Allergy Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics
  (AANMA) 
• American Heart Association
• American Lung Association of AK
• Anchorage School District
• Asthma Allergy Foundation of America AK
• Bristol Bay Area Health Corp.

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Short-term Coalition Activities

• Finalize the Alaska State Asthma Plan to address
  asthma in Alaska
• Host the 2nd Annual Alaska Asthma Summit in
  partnership with the Alaska Health Summit.
• Enhanced asthma surveillance and data analysis
• Develop and implement an electronic asthma action
  plan
• Implement and promote the new law mandating AK
  public schools to allow children to carry and use
  their inhalers and epi-pens
• Build sustainability for the Alaska State Asthma
  Plan

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Long-term Goals

• Reduce asthma mortality and morbidity
• Control the cost of care
• Improve quality of life for asthma patients

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Through

• Surveillance evaluation
• Scientific interventions, including provider and
  patient education and strategies
• Work-related asthma interventions
• Youth initiatives and school-based programs
• Media and public awareness
• Partnering
• Policy Change

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More than Asthma

• Alaska Asthma Coalition is about asthma but at
  the same time it is about something more
  -opportunity- the opportunity to change health
  care.
• Could our efforts demonstrate a better way to
  provide care for all chronic disease (obesity,
  diabetes, arthritis)?
• Could we stimulate development of a better state
  or national health care model?

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Contact Information

• Marge Larson, Steering Committee Member (907)
  644-6405 mlarson_at_aklung.org

• Michelle Ferreira, Asthma Coalition Coordinator
• [phone]
• mferreira_at_aklung.org