Hispanic Americans make up more than 18% of the U.S. population – making them the second largest population group. And the U.S. Census Bureau projects that this group will account for more than 27% of the U.S. population by 2060. As the population becomes more racially and ethnically diverse, it becomes increasingly important to address disparities in asthma.
Update as of Sept. 2, 2021: We have updated this blog post to include information on how to register for the upcoming food allergy PFDD meeting and the video from the “Food Allergy Voice of the Patient Process” webinar from Aug. 20, 2021. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), as a founding member of the Food Allergy Collaborative , invites you to join us on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, for a patient-focused drug development (PFDD) meeting for food allergy. What : Food allergy PFDD...
To bring the voice of patients and caregivers impacted by asthma in childhood to the forefront of drug development and research, the Allergy & Asthma Network, American Lung Association, American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders, and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) are collaborating on a new program – Little Airways, Big Voices . You can get involved by sharing your experiences living with and managing asthma in childhood. Join us virtually on Sept. 20, 2021 , for...
It’s officially back-to-school season as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the United States. And getting our children safely back to school is a major priority for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). To help schools create safe learning environments, AAFA sent a letter to the School Superintendents Association (AASA) . The letter outlines two key recommendations: School districts should use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to improve indoor air quality in...
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s 2021 Asthma Capitals ™ report ranks the largest 100 U.S. metropolitan cities by how challenging they are to live in with asthma. AAFA publishes this report to help people who live in Asthma Capitals advocate for better care and policies. The report also shows how communities can best direct their focus to reduce the impact of asthma. In our report, we looked at three weighted outcomes to determine rankings: asthma prevalence, asthma-related...
*Sponsored by Merck Approximately 5% of adults in America are living with chronic cough, which is defined as a cough that lasts longer than 8 weeks. Patients with the condition commonly cough in “bouts” they cannot control, and usually feel a strong urge to cough before a coughing bout starts. Chronic cough is commonly associated with other health conditions, such as asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), upper airway cough syndrome and non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis. It can...
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America report on Asthma Disparities in America looks at the burden of asthma on racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Health disparities are preventable health differences between groups of people. They are higher burdens of illness or death linked to social, economic, and environmental disadvantages. For example, if one group of people has a higher rate of asthma than another group of people, it is an asthma disparity. Asthma is common in older...
Welcome to your mid-year advocacy update from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). And what a year it has been so far! AAFA kicked off the year with the passing of two important bills in January. Former President Trump signed the School-Based Asthma and Allergy Management Program Act on Jan. 5. This bill encourages states to improve allergy and asthma care in schools. And Governor Charlie Baker signed Laura’s Law on Jan. 15 in Massachusetts. This law requires easy access to...
On this final Friday of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month , the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and Kids With Food Allergies (KFA) , our food allergy division, are holding a Remembrance Day in honor of family members and loved ones who’ve died from asthma or allergies. On average, more than 3,500 Americans die from asthma each year. 1 An estimated 200 also die each year because of severe allergic reactions, called anaphylaxis [anna-fih-LACK-sis]. 2 These death rates...
Advocating for people with asthma and allergies is a great way to spread awareness during National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month . We invite you to join us for Advocacy Action Day! Today, we ask you to help us tell Congress what people with asthma and allergies need to live full, healthy lives. More than 65 million Americans have asthma and allergies. And some people may have one or both of these conditions for which there is no cure. About 25 million Americans have asthma 32 million...
AAFA Highlights the Most Challenging Places in the U.S. to Live With Asthma On May 5, 2021, World Asthma Day , the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) released the 2021 Asthma Capitals™ report . This report analyzes data from the 100 largest cities in the U.S. to identify the most challenging places to live with asthma. This year, Allentown, Pennsylvania, takes the top spot. How Are Cities Ranked? Knowing what puts someone at higher risk for asthma is an important part of...
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.
