Astrazeneca Niños Saludablez Asthma Action Bus Tour.

Niños Saludablez Asthma Action Bus Tour is on the road spreading pediatric asthma awareness at Hispanic community events in New York, Houston and Miami.

The tour will educate families on asthma preparedness and preventive measures to help. It will also help parents identify asthma symptoms, assess whether or not their child’s asthma is controlled, and encourage parents to work with their doctor to establish a maintenance routine. At each community tour stop, families can participate in the Asthma Action Zone, which includes three stations, “Learn” “Breathe” and “Play.” Children will meet Pulmi, an 8-foot-tall, green “thingamajig” who knows that breathing problems don’t have to keep kids from being everyday kids.

Asthma is by far the most common chronic disease of childhood. It is responsible for more missed days of school and more hospitalizations than any other childhood illness. Asthma sends hundreds of thousands of children to the emergency room each year. According to a study by the American Journal and Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, children with asthma have higher rates of disability, higher healthcare use, and incur greater healthcare costs than children without asthma.

According to the American Lung Association, in 2003, almost 3.5 million Hispanics reported having asthma.(1) Among Hispanics, factors like poverty, indoor allergens, scarce culturally appropriate patient information and poor access to or use of preventative medical care results in an elevated propensity for developing the disease.(2) Of all Hispanic populations, Puerto Ricans children have higher rates of asthma prevalence. According to a study of school children in East Harlem, New York City, the prevalence was 23% overall, but 35% among Puerto Rican children.(3)

The challenge of this illness can have a tremendous economic impact. “Adherence to medication or correctly taking your medicine is a big problem with pediatric asthma, which is why it continues to be a serious health threat,” said Don A. Bukstein, M.D., Director of Allergy and Asthma Research, Dean Health Center, Madison, WI. This study shows that increased adherence can mean better asthma control and less time spent in the ER and hospital.

The three-city tour will travel to the following Hispanic community events: New York City (CAMINAR, September 10 and Children’s Health Street Festival, September 11), Houston (Fiestas Patrias, September 18), and Miami (Hispanic Heritage Festival, October 8).