Event Planning Kit	Asthma Awareness Month

Asthma Education Ideas

for Health Insurers and Managed Care Organizations

May is Asthma Awareness Month!

There is no better time to promote asthma education, including management of environmental triggers. Join EPA to
plan an educational event for patients and providers in a community setting. Things to do include:

T Place an article in a newsletter or e-bulletin to
educate patients about asthma, environmental
triggers, and ways to manage asthma.

T Distribute asthma materials to providers

(hospitals, specialists, and physicians) to educate
them about comprehensive asthma management
for patients. In addition, co-sponsor a one-day
training for providers with a local chapter of the
American Lung Association or Asthma and Allergy
Foundation of America.

T Contact the American Association for Respiratory
Care (AARC) to obtain the "Environmental
Triggers of Asthma" CD-ROM continuing
education for respiratory therapists in your
network.

T Host a health fair in a community setting, such
as a hospital or area high school. Distribute
information about asthma management and
methods to identify and mitigate indoor
environmental triggers. Recruit local sponsors
to provide giveaways or support. Examples
of donated materials include items helpful in
mitigating indoor environmental triggers, such
as pillow or mattress covers or HEPA filters for
vacuums.

T Encourage hospitals and physicians to run EPA
asthma education, videos, and public service
campaigns in closed circuit television in patient
waiting rooms.

T Sponsor an asthma awareness event in a local
school setting and educate students, teachers and

faculty about ways to manage asthma in the school
environment. Distribute asthma action plans to
school nurses and students.

T Honor outstanding providers in your network with
an "Asthma Award of the Year" for demonstrating
excellent leadership in comprehensively managing
patient asthma and increasing asthma awareness with
patients.

T Conduct an in-home environmental assessment in
select homes in locations with a high prevalence of
asthma. Display these homes as models to showcase
the importance of managing indoor environmental
triggers.

T Join the Communities in Action for Asthma-
Friendly Environments online network at
www, asthmacommunitynetwork. org.

And remember...

T Asthma educational materials are available for

students, teachers, nurses, school officials, parents,
and the community. The following are some of EPA's
materials that are available to you in both English and
Spanish:

~	"Clear Your Home of Asthma Triggers" brochure;

~	"Take the Smoke-Free Home Pledge" brochure and
poster;

~	"Implementing an Asthma Home Visit Program: 10
Steps to Help Health Plans Get Started" brochure;

~	"Asthma Home Environment Check List."

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