Asthma Disparities
Projects & Intiatives |
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Eliminating Asthma Disparities
We have chosen to define asthma disparities as differences in asthma prevalence, outcomes, and management by race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geography, language, literacy and insurance status. With this definition in mind, California Breathing addresses asthma disparities through several projects and initiatives which are based on data published in The Burden of Asthma in California: A Surveillance Report and priorities found in the Strategic Plan for Asthma in California 2007-2012. The Plan includes a guiding principle of equity, a cross-cutting priority of disparities, as well as specific objectives which address asthma and other health-related disparities.
California Breathing addresses asthma disparities through four main activities:
Strategic Implementation Grants- California Breathing has funded four rounds of grants aimed at providing funds to local community-based organizations to address disparities at a local level. Since 2004, California Breathing has funded thirty-four projects around the State. The 2006 & 2007 grants have focused specifically on addressing the unequal burden of asthma among African Americans. Click here to learn about our currently funded projects.
Technical Assistance & Training- California Breathing staff provides technical assistance and training for current and previously funded asthma disparities grantees, including teleconference monthly calls and in-person trainings. Additionally, technical assistance is provided to community-based organizations requesting programmatic help on asthma disparities.
Convenings-Two statewide meetings/conferences have been convened with local stakeholders on the topic of asthma disparities. In the September of 2004, stakeholders met with California Breathing staff to discuss the needs of their communities in order to effectively address asthma locally. In February of 2007, stakeholders from around the state met to discuss solutions that have reduced asthma disparities and plan for a state-wide agenda on what California Breathing should focus on in the future.
Collaboration- California Breathing collaborates with asthma, asthma-related, and health-disparity focused organizations around the state. In particular, we have very close collaborations with California Department of Public Health’s Office of Multicultural Health and Tobacco Control Services, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, and the Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative.
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