America Breathing Easier: Working Together, We Can Alleviate the Burden of Asthma and Keep America Breathing Easier.

摘要

Four thousand people die each year from asthmarelated causes, and asthma is a contributing factor in another 7,000 deaths every year. In asthma, somethingair pollution, allergens, exercise, stress, certain chemicals in the workplacecauses the airways of the lungs to narrow or become blocked, making it hard to breathe. For the most part we dont know why some people have asthma and others do not although were getting closer every daybut thanks to the work ofmedical researchers, health care professionals, and public health specialists, were doingmore to help people with the disease alleviate some of their burden. But the burden of asthma falls not only on individuals with asthma. It also falls on our schools, our families, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our cities, and our states. It falls on our health care system. It falls on all Americans,whether or notwe have asthma, becausewe pay for that burdenwith higher health insurance rates,with lost productivity, and with our tax dollars. The CDC National Asthma Control Programfunds states, cities, and school programs to help them improve surveillance of asthma, train health professionals, educate individuals with asthma and their families, and explain asthma to the public. Tomaintain that progress, CDC and its federal, state, local, and nonprofit partnersmust continue the vital work of tracking asthma, enhancing the capacity of federal, state, and local public health offices; training health practitioners and educators; implementing proven interventions; filling in gaps in research; and increasing the American peoples understanding of asthma.