The Wisconsin Department of Health Services Asthma Program has been named the winner of the 2023 National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management.
More than 25 million Americans are affected by asthma, a disease the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency aims to raise awareness about throughout the year, according to a May 1 news release.
“Growing up with respiratory challenges in North Carolina, I know all too well the struggle that millions of Americans suffer daily. Asthma is an issue that impacts the entire country, and children of families living in underserved communities overburdened by pollution are disproportionately impacted,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in the release. "That’s why I am so proud of the work EPA is doing to support real solutions, giving hope to those who battle asthma."
The asthma program in Wisconsin targets "disproportionately affected populations" and has strong ties with organizations and projects that work to improve a persons health such as the Asthma-Safe Homes program, the release stated.
The annual award recognizing programs for their work to improve the quality of life for people living with asthma is part of the EPA's efforts to bring awareness to disease during the month of May which happens to be Asthma Awareness Month, according to the release.
The EPA offered some advice to better control their asthma symptoms which include monitoring outdoor air quality, take steps to both reduce asthma triggers and monitor symptoms and figure out what's causing asthma symptoms inside and avoid those triggers, the release said. The agency suggests consulting with a health care provider to identify asthma triggers and monitoring air quality by checking local air quality conditions either at AirNow or downloading the Air Quality Index app on their cell phones.
"Thanks to programs like the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Asthma Program, we are leading in innovation and making significant progress to protect public health,” Regan said in the release.
