Asthma affects nearly 26 million Americans, according to the American Lung Association. More than 7 million children have asthma. It’s the third leading cause of hospitalization among children and results in millions of lost school days every year.
While there’s no cure, managing the condition is possible so children can lead a productive, normal and healthy life.
A roundtable was convened in March 2015 by the Brookings and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), which published a report on the opportunities that exist for improving outcomes and lowering costs by better addressing the social determinants of asthma. Innovations around coordinated asthma care are happening nationwide. The report notes that the most successful community-based asthma programs:
- Target the highest risk patients
- Provide education and home-environment assessment
- Coordinate community, public health, and social services
- Plan for sustainability