State resources
- Pediatric Asthma Surveillance in Massachusetts
Asthma prevalence among children in Massachusetts, a state-wide surveillance program was implemented with participation from public and private schools serving grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Beginning in 2003 and continuing through the present, DPH has tracked the occurrence of pediatric asthma through school health records. - Work-related Asthma
According to the American Thoracic Society, 15% of asthma in adults is caused or exacerbated by work. It is estimated that approximately 27,000 adults in Massachusetts have work-related asthma. Since 1993 physicians have been required to report both suspected and confirmed cases of work-related asthma to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). - School Health Services
School Health Services is comprised of both regional and central office professional staff who collaborate with other Department of Public Health programs and the Massachusetts Department of Education to provide ongoing school health service systems development and technical assistance to the Commonwealth's 351 public school districts and approximately 600 nonpublic schools. This represents approximately 880,000 public school students and 120,000 nonpublic school students. - Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation & Prevention Program
For 20 years, MTCP efforts have resulted in significant progress to prevent tobacco use and to support smokers to stay quit for good. From requiring ingredient disclosures on cigarette packages to maintaining a dedicated smoker’s helpline to creating smoke-free workplaces across the state, the work of MTCP has changed the norms around tobacco use and increased everyday awareness about the dangers of tobacco products. - Asthma and Your Environment
Some chemicals and pollutants in your environment can make your asthma worse. Your environment is where you live, learn, work, play or visit. - Air Pollution and Pediatric Asthma in the Merrimack Valley
In 1998, in response to community concerns related to air pollution and breast cancer, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) conducted an investigation of breast cancer incidence relative to community concerns over the possible relationship between elevated rates of asthma and opportunities for exposure to incinerator emissions in the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts. - Massachusetts Department of Public Health Asthma Landing Page
To address the serious health challenges that asthma poses, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) coordinates partners in a statewide effort to reduce the burden of asthma on the Commonwealth’s residents. - Methods to Improve Air Quality on Schools, Public Buildings and Housing
A Massachusetts specific environmental health & safety checklist was created to assist schools with indoor air quality and environmental compliance issues. Additional resources are available to address Indoor Air Quality in Public Buildings and Housing.
National resources
These national organizations have information and guidance on asthma:
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Just 4 Kids
The AAAAI has games, puzzles, videos and more to help you learn about managing your allergies and asthma. - Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
AAFA offers many educational programs and tools for all ages, caregivers and healthcare providers. - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Asthma
The CDC’s National Asthma Control Program was established in 1999 to help millions of people in the country control their asthma. - Environmental Protection Agency, Want to Fight Childhood Asthma
EPA's coordinated approach on asthma promotes scientific understanding of environmental asthma triggers and ways to manage asthma in community settings through research, education and outreach. With federal, state and local partners, we are building the nation's capacity to control asthma and manage exposure to indoor and outdoor pollutants linked to asthma. - Housing and Urban Development, Healthy Homes Program
HUD believes our communities should make homes available to families that are affordable and healthy. "Healthy Homes" is a century-old concept that promotes safe, decent, and sanitary housing as a means for preventing disease and injury. There is a lot of emerging scientific evidence linking health outcomes such as asthma, lead poisoning, and unintentional injuries to substandard housing. And, there are more than 6 million substandard housing units nationwide. - Guidelines for the Management of Asthma (EPR-3)
The EPR 3 Guidelines on Asthma was developed by an expert panel commissioned by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) Coordinating Committee (CC), coordinated by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health.