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Innovative In-School Asthma Management Program Launches to Aid New York City Children

Posted on: Thursday, 1 December 2005, 09:00 CST

NEW YORK, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- A team of government, medical, and education leaders have joined forces to launch Project E.R.A.S.E. (Eradicating Respiratory Asthma in Schools to help children Excel), an in-school program that provides free diagnosis and advice on treatment of asthma for New York City schoolchildren. Project E.R.A.S.E. is the first program to send asthma specialists into local schools to create an ongoing connection between physicians, educators, school nurses, and parents that will help children with asthma to excel both in and out of the classroom.

Asthma is the leading cause of absenteeism and hospitalization among children nationwide and in New York City.(1) The asthma hospitalization rate for New York City children under 14 years of age is almost two times higher than the national rate; among the City's lowest income communities, the asthma hospitalization rate is almost four times higher than the national rate. Low-income, minority children often have less access to diagnosis and consistent healthcare.

To help reach students at the greatest risk for asthma, the Project E.R.A.S.E. asthma management program is piloting in two District 1 schools in the Lower East Side -- P.S. 140, the Nathan Straus Preparatory School of Humanities, and P.S. 142, Amalia Castro School -- in conjunction with the Department of Education (DOE), the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) and New York City's School Health program.

Project E.R.A.S.E. will be collecting, compiling, and analyzing student- related data, such as a reduction in school absenteeism and emergency room visits, to gauge the program's success. The project's goal is to expand the initiative across the city and serve as a nationwide model.

"Left untreated, asthma can have a devastating impact on a child's education," said New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. "It is our expectation that the increased access to care provided by the Project E.R.A.S.E. initiative will improve the health of local children and enable them to fully participate in a wider range of in-school and extracurricular activities."

Project E.R.A.S.E. physicians will conduct monthly meetings with parents, caregivers, and educators in targeted schools and will provide educational information and support to build long-term asthma management skills. Proper diagnosis and care will enable underserved asthmatic children to learn how to monitor and treat the disease and maintain an increased quality of life.

"It is overwhelming to think of the large number of children in New York City who are undiagnosed with and unnecessarily suffering from asthma," said Dr. Paul Ehrlich, Medical Director of Project E.R.A.S.E. "Student examinations show that asthma conditions are more severe than anticipated. The opportunity to advise courses of treatment to children during the school day is invaluable; it can help reduce absenteeism for students as well as their working parents who struggle to take time off from work for doctor's appointments."

Project E.R.A.S.E.'s current partners include the Department of Education; the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; the Fund for Public Schools; CBS 2, 1010 WINS and WCBS 880; Fleishman-Hillard International Communications; and Changing Our World. The program has the support of United States Senator Charles E. Schumer. Additionally, New Jersey Nets forward Richard Jefferson, diagnosed with asthma at age eight, will meet with students throughout the year to discuss how proper asthma management will help them reach their goals.

For more information about Project E.R.A.S.E., please visit http://www.projecterase.com/. Financial contributions can be made by check payable to the Fund for Public Schools, with a notation that funds be directed to Project E.R.A.S.E. Please address donations to the Fund for Public Schools, 52 Chambers Street, Room 305, New York, New York, 10007, to the attention of Deborah McGinn.

About Asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that makes airways sensitive to irritants. During an asthma episode, the airways narrow, making breathing difficult. Asthma is the leading chronic illness among children in the United States and one of the ten most frequent chronic health conditions in the general population. Poor asthma quality and exposure to environmental allergens that exist in an urban environment -- and in particular in low-income communities -- can exacerbate asthma. Common asthma triggers include: respiratory infections, colds, vigorous exercise, exposure to cold air or sudden temperature change, and allergic reactions to allergens such as pollen, mold, animal dander, feathers, dust, food, and cockroaches.(2) Asthma can be controlled with proper treatment and management.

About Project E.R.A.S.E.

Project E.R.A.S.E. (Eradicating Respiratory Asthma in Schools to help children Excel) is an innovative program connecting asthma specialists to New York City schools to provide underserved children with better access to diagnosis, treatment advice and ongoing management of asthma and allergies. The program helps children address asthma issues so that they can excel both in and out of the classroom.

(1) National Center for Health Statistics. Raw Data from the National Health Interview Survey, U.S., 2003. (Analysis by the American Lung Association). (2) American Lung Association: Asthma & Children Fact Sheet; July 2005. http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.aspx?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=44352&printmode=1

Fleishman-Hillard

CONTACT: Amanda Mason, +1-212-453-2465, or Liesel Enke, +1-212-453-2427,both of Fleishman-Hillard

Web site: http://www.projecterase.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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