Statewide Asthma Program Needed to Combat Epidemic
Nearly 5 million Californians have been diagnosed with asthma. It is now the number one cause of hospitalizations among children, with more than 160,000 in California alone, and continues to be the leading cause of school absenteeism due to a chronic condition. Certain areas of California, for example where air pollution is worse, are suffering more. In the highly polluted San Joaquin Valley, nearly one in five children has asthma.
While the American Lung Association of California is working in communities across the state to reduce the suffering caused by asthma, California needs a publicly funded comprehensive asthma plan that creates targeted programs to combat the epidemic. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that can be debilitating and even deadly if left
untreated. It is having a major impact on our schools, emergency rooms and healthcare system. Yet, statewide public funding to control this epidemic has been piecemeal at best.
We have helped secure one-time-only funding in the state budget for asthma programs within the California Department of Health Services, but this is only a stop-gap measure. The American Lung Association of California will continue to advocate for long-term funding solutions for a comprehensive asthma plan that includes effective strategies for reducing the asthma burden through public health interventions, educational outreach and school-based programs.
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