Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)

Background

AAFA provides an online asthma patient community and support platform that allows patients to connect with others who understand what it is like to live and deal with asthma. AAFA is developing and applying a coordinated series of community health initiatives that will educate and empower patients and families to improve asthma control and reduce morbidity and mortality due to asthma. Through the online community, digital media, and strategic partnerships, AAFA will provide evidence-based and health-literate asthma management resources incorporating EXHALE strategies.

National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) Expert Panel 4 (EPR-4) recommendations

Promote updated recommendations from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) Expert Panel 4 (EPR-4) to clinicians, patients, and caregivers.

• Increase awareness of updated EPR-4 guidelines for asthma management
• Enhance patient and caregiver knowledge of asthma control and use of asthma action plans
• Develop partnerships with state health departments and encourage them to incorporate the ASTHMA Care for Adults curriculum (ASTHMA Care Training Program for Adults | AAFA.org) as part of their asthma education programs

For military service members

Promote guidelines-based ASTHMA Care for military service members.

• Form a multi-disciplinary clinical team
• Train clinical staff members to deliver guidelines-based care and education
• Train chronic disease managers and educators in guidelines-based education
• Improve self-management of workplace asthma by military service members with asthma

3 national awareness and education programs

Plan and launch three national awareness and education programs:

1. respiratory illnesses,
2. inhaler usage and asthma control, and
3. childhood allergic asthma

• Develop and launch three national awareness and education campaigns
• Increase awareness of illness prevention strategies
• Increase the number of community members who get appropriate vaccinations
• Increase the number of community members who practice good health habits
• Increase the number of community members who report having an asthma action plan they use to guide self-management and manage asthma episodes
• Improve knowledge about different types of inhalers and how to use them
• Increase awareness of pediatric allergic asthma

Home assessments for asthma triggers

Partner with community health workers and empower patients and caregivers to assess homes for asthma triggers.

• Develop partnerships with community health workers
• Increase knowledge about asthma triggers and abatement strategies
• Develop educational resources that community health workers can use during in-home and virtual interventions

For women during pregnancy and lactation

Promote evidence-based ASTHMA Care for women during pregnancy and lactation.

Increase awareness about the challenges of managing asthma during pregnancy and lactation