All News Releases By Date

FEDERAL AGENCIES CONVENE MULTI-LEVEL TALKS TO ARREST PEDIATRIC ASTHMA IN NEW ENGLAND

Release Date: 05/30/2000
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Community Affairs Office, (617) 918-1064 Lisa Kelly, HHS Press Office, (617) 565-1912

Boston - In the first gathering of its type, officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will be meeting today at Tufts University to develop a regional strategy to address the rising rates of asthma among children. Joining in the dialogue are the commissioners from environmental, health, housing, and education agencies for each of the six New England states.

"It is time for an integrated strategy to reduce asthma rates in New England that addresses children where they are - in their homes, in schools, and playing out-of-doors. Let New England be bold and develop a plan that protects our children, " said Mindy Lubber, EPA New England regional administrator. "Managing environmental factors such as secondhand smoke, dust mites, cockroaches and household chemicals offer a partial solution to the problem. Together with our federal and state partners we can approach a solution that addresses all the factors that affect pediatric asthma."

Across the United States, in rural and urban communities, rates of asthma have more than doubled in the last 15 years. It is a significant public health problem and the most common chronic disease of childhood, affecting at least five million youngsters. The cost of asthma to the U.S. economy is at least $14 billion, with the majority of the expense attributed to medical care.

"We need to treat asthma as a preventable disease by addressing its environmental and economic roots," said Judith Kurland, HHS regional director. "Our goal of providing access to high quality health care is a part of the solution. But action on asthma must go beyond the clinical setting. An ambitious strategy to reduce risks in the environment-in homes, schools and communities-is imperative if we are to reverse the asthma epidemic."

"A family's home should be a safe and enriching environment," said MaryLou Crane, HUD regional director. "HUD is committed to better training maintenance personnel to keep public housing as free of asthma triggers as possible as part of their routine maintenance of facilities."

Today's summit builds on the national Cabinet-level initiative to reduce environmental impacts on children's health, and seeks to complement rather than duplicate other regional initiatives, and emphasize prevention of exposure to known asthma triggers, in homes, schools and the outside environment, instead of relying on medical treatment of asthma alone.

The goals of the summit will include identifying opportunities for each agency to use its unique leverage and capacity to reduce rates and severity of asthma, and to identify regional initiatives that would be enhanced by and benefit from a regional approach and cooperation across public health, environment, education and housing leaders.