AAFA Salutes School-Based Health Centers February 15, 2012

AAFA Salutes School-Based Health Centers

AAFA Salutes School Based Health Centers for National School Based Health Awareness Month

2/8/12

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) salutes the activities and services of school based health centers (SBHC) as communities across the country celebrate February as “National School Based Health Care Awareness Month”.

AAFA commends the work of over 1,900 SBHCs to provide comprehensive primary and preventative care predominantly to students who have experienced health care access disparities. Through a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers, including health educators, physicians, and registered nurses, SBHCs deliver care to nearly 2 million students and their communities in school and on school grounds, regardless of ability to pay. SBHCs ensure that students suffering from asthma and allergies receive high quality primary and preventative care, and help them manage their asthma without costing them success in school. In its most recent report, the National Assembly on School Based Health Centers indicated 94.6% of SBHCs nationwide provided treatment for students with asthma, and SBHCs in schools serving grades K-12 offered prevention strategies and health promotion services for parents and students with asthma on an individual, small group, and classroom level.

AAFA’s annual State Honor Roll™ report (www.StateHonorRoll.org) analyzes states nationwideon policies enacted to support students with asthma and allergies in elementary, middle and high schools. SBHCs promote the quality of care and a healthy school environment for students outlined in the State Honor Roll™ report.  

Asthma is the leading cause of school absences from chronic illness, accounting for 14 million student absences annually. Allergies fall close behind, as the third most common chronic disease affecting children nationwide. Treatment and prevention services offered by SBHCs on school grounds are essential to ensuring school environments remain healthy and to ensuring students with asthma and allergies remain present in school so they can perform in the classroom.

Throughout this month, the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC) and its partners will share achievements as they gather success stories from SBHCs across the country. For more information on the work of school-based health centers and NASBHC, visit http://www.nasbhc.org/  

AAFA is an independent, not-for-profit voluntary health association dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma and allergies through education, advocacy and research. AAFA was founded in 1953 by the two leading professional medical organizations in the United States devoted to the allergy/immunology specialty. AAFA’s 2011 report on state policies to protect school children with allergies and asthma can be downloaded at www.StateHonorRoll.org

Final ‘Build Smart, Breathe Easier’ House with Asthma-Healthy Features Dedicated in Atlanta December 14, 2011

Final ‘Build Smart, Breathe Easier’ House with Asthma-Healthy Features Dedicated in Atlanta.

The asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program October 18, 2011

BUILD SMART, BREATHE EASIER October 18, 2011

HGTV Personality and Carpenter, Carter Oosterhouse, Joins AAFA, Habitat for Humanity and Merck for Build Smart, Breather Easier Program  to Build Homes with asthma & allergy friendly® Features

As part of Build Smart, Breathe Easier Program, four houses with asthma-healthy features will be built in partnership with low-income families affected by the disease in Metro Atlanta (North Central Georgia), Detroit, Greater Los Angeles and Philadelphia.

To ensure each house is built with asthma-healthy features, AAFA is providing expert guidance on the integration of specific building techniques, materials and systems based on principles from the asthma & allergy friendly^® Certification Program. Through the program, AAFA is also providing educational information about asthma, indoor air quality and asthma-healthy homes to help people nationwide try to minimize the impact of asthma on their daily lives. In conjunction, Oosterhouse will lend his expertise for building and outfitting an asthma-healthy home and participate in each of the home builds. 

CLICK HERE to read more

Traverlers to Canada Now Have Healthier Option September 23, 2011

Finding an allergy friendly hotel while travelling on business or going away on vacation for individuals with asthma and allergies can lead to a variety of issues when trying to get a restful and uninterrupted night’s sleep. However, the asthma & allergy friendly™ Certification Program is thrilled to announce the integration of certified bedding in an incredible hotel. Certification Program clients, SmartSilk Corp., have secured a deal with the Quality Inn & Suites Brossard that sees them fitting the beds with The certified asthma & allergy friendly™ SmartSilk all season duvets, mattress pads and pillow protectors. With the possibility of extending this deal to other hotels, SmartSilk and the Quality Inn & Suites Brossard are taking a lot of the stress out of travelling for asthma and allergy sufferers and providing them with a cleaner, safer and more dependable option for staying away from home while limiting the amount of triggers faced. The Quality Inn & Suites Brossard is conveniently located a few minutes from downtown Montreal (details below). Click here for more details.  For more details on certified asthma & allergy friendly™ products click here, and for SmartSilk product info click here.

2011 Fall Allergy Capitals Are Announced September 23, 2011

There is no place safe from allergies in America, and some cities are more problematic than others. The Allergy Capitals is an annual research project of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) to identify “the 100 most challenging places to live with allergies” in the spring and fall seasons each year. The rankings are based on scientific analysis of 3 factors for the 100 largest metro areas in the U.S. The data measured and compared each year includes:

• Pollen scores (airborne grass/tree/weed pollen and mold spores)*
• Number of allergy medications used per patient
• Number of allergy specialists per patient

2011 Fall Allergy Capitals

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) announced the 2011 Fall Allergy Capitals™ rankings, and this season, Knoxville, Tennessee was rated the #1 Fall Allergy Capital due to high pollen counts, high use of allergy medications by patients and too few allergists to treat the burgeoning allergy population. 

To learn more, CLICK HERE