Health Notes

AIDING WITH ASTHMA

By Connie Mitchell

St. Louis area seniors with asthma will soon benefit from a new program funded by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Through its Health Equity Advancement and Leadership, or HEAL, program, the organization is awarding $125,000 in direct funding to the AAFA St. Louis chapter in support of home visits, asthma education and care coordination for older adults.

The local chapter is partnering with the Clayton-based St. Louis Oasis, an organization that provides enrichment opportunities and wellness programs to older adults in the metro area.

“St. Louis was chosen as one of the pilot programs because of unmet need and existing relationships,” says Sanaz Eftekhari, AAFA vice president of research. “AAFA-STL already has strong ties with the local asthma community. Many of the existing programs are successful but focus on a pediatric population. We believe AAFA-STL can apply those same principles and strategies to create a new program for the adult population.”

In addition to the funds, AAFA is providing in-kind support and training, donated certified asthma- and allergy-friendly home products, and other tools and resources at no cost. The funding period began in May.

The HEAL program features three core components, Eftekhari says: “An asthma educator will provide direct one-on-one support to participants to help educate on asthma symptoms, treatment, trigger reduction, etc. A home visitor will conduct virtual and/or in-person environmental assessments to identify exposure to asthma triggers in the home. They will also determine what products are needed, which AAFA will help procure at no cost, such as air purifiers, bedding, vacuums, etc. And a patient navigator will help coordinate visits to an asthma specialist.”

Participants will be referred to the program by St. Louis Oasis. Underserved populations, such as those living in substandard housing or lacking access to health care, are affected more significantly by asthma than those in higher socioeconomic groups, Eftekhari says. “Asthma disparities are significantly driven by social and systemic factors,” he notes. These factors “can be attributed in part to systemic injustices and racism deeply ingrained in U.S. policies, governance and culture.”

Eftekhari adds that direct, community-based interventions are only one piece of the larger strategy to reduce disparities in asthma. “These types of programs are important because all asthma is local – and community-based approaches have proven successful, especially in pediatric populations,” he says. “In addition to this community-level work, AAFA continues to advocate for better, more equitable policies and systems that would chip away at health inequities on a large scale.”

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, St. Louis Chapter, 1500 S. Big Bend, Suite 1S, St. Louis, 314-645-2422, aafa.org/aafa-st-louis-chapter