Advocating for Patients

As part of our advocacy efforts for people with asthma and allergies, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) visits Congress every year. We invite patients and advocates from across the U.S. to let Congress know what policies can help improve the lives of people managing allergic diseases. Meetings were held on Zoom this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The meetings focused on the urgent need to fix the nation’s health disparities gap. AAFA’s theme for this year’s meetings...

Each year, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) declares May to be National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month . This year, join us in asking President Biden to do the same. First recognized by President Regan in 1984 at AAFA's request, National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month is a perfect time to educate patients, family, friends, co-workers, and others about these diseases impacting more than 65 million Americans. On April 14, 2021, AAFA sent a letter to President Biden...

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is thrilled that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has revoked the air permit for the proposed biomass energy facility in Springfield, Massachusetts . The proposed facility was environmentally unjust and would have caused additional negative health impacts to an overburdened community. According to AAFA’s 2019 Asthma Capitals Report , Springfield is already the most challenging city in the United States to...

This year’s National Healthy Schools Day comes at a critical juncture: the nation is working to recover and stabilize from the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, reopen all schools, and address the growing crisis caused by climate impacts – impacts that hit the most disadvantaged communities and their schools the hardest.

Massachusetts hospitals are now required to have emergency department entrances that are easy to access. They will also have to be properly monitored by security and clearly marked. This is a result of “ Laura’s Law ” that was signed by Governor Charlie Baker on Jan. 15, 2021. The Boston Globe story, “Losing Laura,” inspired the law. The story is about the tragic death of Laura Beth Levis. Laura was a 34-year-old woman who died of an asthma attack just steps from an emergency room door in...

Asthma is one of the most common medical problems that occurs during pregnancy. It can be potentially serious. Asthma can get worse during pregnancy and lead to problems like high blood pressure, early labor and delivery, and low birth weight. Asthma can even cause death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks pregnancy-related deaths (from any cause) in the United States in a system called the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System (PMSS) . The rate of maternal deaths...

Update as of March 2, 2021: Advocacy Action Alert! Ask your representatives to support t he Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2021 . Use our simple tool at the bottom of this blog post to email a letter or share your message on Twitter. Social and economic factors play a big role in health disparities in the United States. A health disparity is when a health condition, like asthma, affects one group of people differently than another group. In the U.S., Black, Hispanic, and...

Update as of March 2, 2021: Advocacy Action Alert! Ask your representatives to support the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. Use our simple tool at the bottom of this blog post to email a letter or share your message on Twitter. On Feb. 8, 2021, Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and other leaders of Congress introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act . The act is made up of 12 bills introduced by Black Maternal Health Caucus members.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is working with the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) on important asthma research. The goal of this partnership is to provide helpful data to help reduce asthma disparities among minority groups. NMQF is a health care research and education nonprofit. Their mission is to reduce patient risk by assuring the best possible care for all. They combine data and knowledge to help end health disparities. This data helps health care providers,...

The New England Chapter of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) recently hosted a webinar to examine health equity among Black Americans. Four experts joined the online discussion, titled “Speaker Series: Health Care Disparities in the Asthma and Allergy Community.” The panel looked at how these factors affect health equity: Social determinants of health Structural racism Implicit bias Asthma Disparities in America The burden of asthma in the U.S. falls disproportionately on...

The year 2020 was unlike any other – filled with loss and uncertainty for so many. With the nation still rocked by a global pandemic, this year is proving to be no different. Despite many obstacles, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) remains committed to advocating for the asthma and allergy community. Last year, we led and took part in more than 20 different coalitions working together to move bills through Congress and state governments. Four of the bills AAFA championed...

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Black Americans hard. According to The COVID Racial Data Tracker , the COVID death rate of Black Americans is 1.5 times that of white people. We now have two COVID-19 vaccines , with more on the way. While the vaccines offer hope overall, they raise other concerns. Many Black Americans may not be able to get it. Or they may choose to not to get it. The National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) held a virtual town hall on Jan. 25, 2021, to examine barriers that may...