February 19, 2004

Contact:
Andy Weisser, (818) 703-6444, aweisser@earthlink.net
www.californialung.org
or your local American Lung Association at (800) LUNG-USA.

American Lung Association of California Convenes Health Network for Clean Air Meeting in Fresno

(February 19, 2004, Fresno, CA) - The American Lung Association of California is organizing a series of meetings in the San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay Area and in Los Angeles to bring together key statewide health organization leaders to discuss air quality and health issues and to lay the groundwork for building the Health Network for Clean Air. The most recent meeting was held today in Fresno.

"The American Lung Association of Central California is gratified that Fresno was chosen to host one of three statewide meetings that bring together key healthcare and community leaders in addressing air pollution health effects," said Josette Merced Bello, president/CEO of the American Lung Association of Central California. "It verifies that air pollution and the associated health risks have become grave concerns for San Joaquin Valley residents and that the air quality situation in the Central Valley has become a priority to the rest of California. The Health Network for Clean Air participants have the knowledge and experience to move us beyond worrying about the problem to finding the solutions," she said.

Meeting participants include statewide healthcare and public health organizations, health professionals, children's health and environmental health advocates. The meetings draw on the expertise of organizations already involved in the air quality arena, including key academic scientists, researchers, medical professionals and experts with the California Air Resources Board. These experts provide meeting participants with the most recent scientific information linking air pollution to human health and set forth the challenge to improve the air we breathe.

"Significant amounts of scientific study support a link between air pollution and health," said Michael Peterson, MD, a Health Network for Clean Air participant and chief of medicine at University of California, San Francisco at Fresno. "Even though the scientific data does not yet fully explain how this happens, public policy should incorporate support for studying the impact and mechanisms through which the changes affect human health. Failure to do so limits our ability to prevent future problems and advise the general public, business and agriculture communities on the value of the changes we are asking them to make," he said.
"Asthma conservatively costs $300 million a year in the Valley," said David Pepper, MD, MS, another Health Network for Clean Air participant who is also affiliated with the California Academy of Family Physicians. "How much is it worth to prevent that disease? Asthma may only be the tip of the iceberg in disease; heart disease, cancer, emphysema, how much is our future worth? No one gets rich off cleaning the air, we just won't get so sick." he added.

Through this effort, it is hoped that the health community will strengthen its impact on the public's understanding of air pollution and health, and positively impact state policy decisions.

"More than 16 percent of the children in Fresno County had asthma symptoms in 2002," said Kevin Hamilton, RRT, also a Health Network for Clean Air participant, and respiratory therapist and asthma program coordinator at Community Medical Center in Fresno. "How many of our children must keep on suffering before we invest in solving this problem? Air Pollution, asthma and acute symptoms of heart disease are proven to be linked. Is it any surprise we have some of the highest rates of all three right here in the valley?" he added.

By working with statewide healthcare organizations to create an ongoing outreach plan, the Health Network for Clean Air will keep public health groups informed of new, emerging information and will generate the most effective ways to alert participating organizations of advocacy opportunities. This project is underwritten by a grant from the Energy Foundation.

Residents in many parts of California, particularly in the Los Angeles basin and San Joaquin Valley breathe the most polluted air in the nation. Emissions from on-road and off-road vehicles, industrial combustion sources, agricultural equipment, consumer products and many other sources contribute to California's poor air quality. In addition, global climate change will result in hotter days that increase ozone formation.

Air pollution is known to have serious health impacts including reductions in lung function, lung tissue damage and worsening of lung diseases such as emphysema, bronchitis and asthma. Elevated particulate levels have been linked to increased risk of heart attacks for those with a cardiac condition, lung cancer and have recently been found to contribute to 6,500 premature deaths and 350,000 asthma attacks annually statewide. Recent research has linked exposure to ozone in southern California children with increased school absences due to respiratory illnesses, and for the first time, has linked elevated ozone levels with the onset of asthma in children. For these reasons, among others, the American Lung Association of California is asking health care professionals to band together to keep air quality standards strong.

The American Lung Association has long funded vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. It is the foremost defender of the Clean Air Act and laws that protect citizens from secondhand smoke. The Lung Association teaches children the dangers of tobacco use and helps teenage and adult smokers overcome addiction. It educates children and adults living with lung diseases, including asthma, emphysema and tuberculosis, on managing their condition. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is "Improving life, one breath at a time." For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.californialung.org.