This national program provides support to community-based coalitions which are developing and implementing comprehensive asthma management programs that include improved access to and quality of medical services, education, family and community support, and environmental and policy initiatives.
Grants are to be awarded in two stages.
Background Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. It affects some 15 million Americans and is the most common chronic disease of childhood, affecting an estimated 5 million children. The total number of new cases of children and adults with asthma has more than doubled in the past two decades increasing from 7 million to 15 million today. Asthma prevalence rates have been increasing for all age groups. Asthma occurs in all social classes, racial and ethnic groups, yet the greatest burden is among children from poor, urban, and minority communities.