Senator Gustavo Rivera, the
ranking member of the Senate's Health Committee, urges Bronxites to
increase their asthma awareness as part of Asthma Awareness Month and
urges the passage of legislation that can help prevent or minimize the
harm caused by the disease.
"Asthma
is a serious, but treatable health issue that affects over 1.1 million
New Yorkers, including myself" said Senator Gustavo Rivera. "The lack of
awareness surrounding this disease - and people's inability to
recognize its causes and symptoms - leads thousands of New Yorkers to
suffer unnecessary complications every year. We must work to increase
awareness of the causes and effects of asthma and pass legislation that
will help reduce the complications that develop from the disease."
Asthma
causes approximately 301 deaths per year and 41,797 hospitalizations in
New York State. It is also the leading cause of missed school days for
children and workplace absences for adults.
Asthma is an even a greater problem in the outer boroughs. The Bronx has one of the highest rates of asthma in city. For
instance, nearly one-third (32.3 percent) of children who made
asthma-related emergency room visits in 2010 were from the Bronx.
Asthma
attacks can be caused by triggers such as cockroaches, mold, pet dander,
dust, pollen, air pollution and, in particular, tobacco smoke. A study by
the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention found that exposure to secondhand smoke was
associated with an increased risk of having three or more visits to a
doctor or emergency room due to wheezing in the past year.
"Tobacco smoke is one of the most common asthma triggers in our society," said Senator Gustavo Rivera. " While
we have implemented measure that have considerably reduced New Yorkers'
consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke in the past, it is not enough
to curb the great number of children and adults who suffer needlessly
from asthma related illness."
Legislation,
such as the bill introduced and passed by Senator Rivera that banned
smoking within 100 feet from all school entrances, can be effective in
minimizing the public's exposure to suffering from an asthma attack.
According to a study published in Circulation,
smoke-free laws quickly and dramatically have cut the number of people
hospitalized for heart attacks, strokes and respiratory diseases. The
study also found that hospitalization for respiratory disease, such as
asthma, fell 24 percent after the implementation of smoke-free
legislation.
"We
need to continue to find ways to discourage unhealthy behaviors and to
keep our youth from being exposed to harmful triggers," said Senator
Gustavo Rivera. "This is one of the reasons why I continue to make
reducing tobacco usage a legislative priority. It is also why I strongly
support any effort, such as raising the minimum age to buy tobacco,
that will reduce our youth's access to these products."
To
support asthma awareness, Senator Rivera is encouraging Bronxities to
attend the Asthma Resource Fair at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, 1650
Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY on Thursday, May 30, 2013 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Attendees will be able to interact with health educators about their
asthma and receive pertinent information about the disease's symptoms,
triggers and treatments. Attendees will also have the opportunity to
play asthma-related games and sign a pledge to control their asthma.
To
avoid unnecessary asthma related complications, the New York City
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene provides the following
recommendations:
- Encourage parents/caregivers to quit smoking.
- Encourage parents/caregivers to talk with landlords about household problems that may trigger asthma episodes.
- Get regular care and know when to seek emergency care for your child.
- Take your child to the doctor for regular asthma check-ups, even when no asthma symptoms are present.
- Identify asthma triggers in the home and try to reduce or eliminate them.
- Tell the school that your child has asthma and provide them with a completed Medication Administration Form from your child's doctor.
- Promptly repair leaks, cracks, holes and ventilation problems.
- Contain food and garbage so they don't become food for pests.
- Use only safe pest control methods when needed.
For information about the Nicotine Patch and Gum Program or for help on how to quit smoking, New York City residents can call 311 or visit the following sites:
- NYS Quitline: http://www.
nysmokefree.com/ - HHC QuitSmoking Clinics: http://www.nyc.gov/html/hhc/
html/services/ smokingcessation.shtml - NYC Quits: https://a816-nycquits.
nyc.gov/pages/homepage.aspx
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