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Communities in Action for Asthma Friendly Environments
Featured Discussion Series
A new tool connecting Network members on issues critical to delivery of quality asthma care
Featured Discussions provide communities with the opportunity to connect around critical issues, get questions answered and share ideas and strategies. These discussions, open to members of the Network, will be offered throughout the year and will be hosted by leaders in the field of community-based asthma management.
The Network is offered at no cost and is open to all communities delivering quality asthma care. Register Today! |
Highlights of the New National Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) EPR-3 Guidelines: Focus on Community Asthma Programs
Dr. Lani Wheeler, public health physician & member of the NAEEP Coordinating Committee since 1992, and other community asthma programs have been participating in a discussion on the implications that the new EPR-3 Guidelines will have for community programs. Engage with other community asthma leaders and share knowledge, tools and strategies to accelerate improvements in asthma care.
To participate in this Featured Discussion you must be a registered member of the Communities in Action for Asthma-Friendly Environments Online Network. If you are already a member, all you have to do is log into the Network via the "Member Login" box at the top of any page prior to accessing the Featured Discussion.
Review Discussion Highlights
Learn more about the NAEPP EPR-3 Guidelines (PDF, 8.37 KB)
DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS
Dr. Wheeler will host a discussion around a component of the new EPR-3 Guidelines. Whether you are sharing your thoughts on a featured component of the new EPR-3 Guidelines or asking a question, by participating in this discussion you will have access to the latest ideas and strategies being used by your colleagues.
Online Network Member? Join Discussion Now by logging into Network and accessing Featured Discussion from the Homepage, under “Discussion Forum.”
Not A Member Yet? Join Online Network Now
Interested in exchanging ideas about a component of the Guidelines not mentioned above? No problem, once logged into the Network, initiate a new discussion by posting your thoughts, ideas or questions on the discussion forum .
The Goal of Asthma Therapy is Asthma Control
EPR-3 takes a new approach to assessing and monitoring asthma by using multiple measures of the patient's level of current impairment (frequency and intensity of symptoms, low lung function, and limitations of daily activities) and future risk (risk of exacerbations, progressive loss of lung function, or adverse side effects from medications). The guidelines stress that some patients can still be at high risk for frequent exacerbations even if they have few day-to-day effects of asthma. Providers, patients and program evaluators need to learn the new approach to severity, control, impairment and risk. Now physicians must learn to select appropriate medical treatment based on additional aspects of control.
- How is your program using the concept of asthma control?
- How has your community asthma program incorporated “Reduce Impairment and Risk” into your program goals and objectives?
Educating Patients—and Providers—Across the Continuum of Care
EPR-3 confirms the importance of teaching patients skills to self-monitor and manage asthma and to use a written asthma action plan, which should include instructions for daily treatment and ways to recognize and handle worsening asthma. New recommendations encourage expanding educational opportunities to reach patients in a variety of settings, such as pharmacies, schools, community centers, and patients’ homes. A new section addresses the need for clinician education programs to improve communications with patients and to use system-wide approaches to integrate the guidelines into health care practice.
EPR-3 continues to emphasize the need for written asthma action plans include two aspects: (1) daily management and (2) how to recognize and handle worsening asthma. Written action plans are particularly recommended for patients who have moderate or severe persistent asthma, a history of severe exacerbations, or poorly controlled asthma.
- How has your community asthma program promoted the use of written asthma action plans?
- How has your community asthma program expanded patient education opportunities?
- How has your community asthma program promoted effective physician education programs?
Caring for Children and Youth
Caring for children and youth with asthma has additional challenges and opportunities. EPR-3 stresses the need for education for parents/family and the child/youth to teach and reinforce self-monitoring to assess level of asthma control and signs of worsening asthma, using a written asthma action plan, taking medication correctly and avoiding environmental factors that worsen asthma. Education need to be tailored to literacy level and cultural beliefs of parents/family and the child/youth. Effective asthma care teams for children and youth have clinical providers, families, children and youth and school nurses and other school team members all working from the same written asthma action plan. EPR-3 also clarifies actions for home and emergency/urgent care management of exacerbations and encourages development of pre-hospital protocols for emergency medical services.
- How has your community asthma program promoted the use of written asthma action plans at schools and child care settings?
- How has your community asthma program expanded education opportunities for families, children and youth, schools and child care providers?
- How has your community asthma program promoted the updated guidelines for managing exacerbations at home, at schools, and in urgent care/emergency settings?
Multifaceted Environmental Controls
EPR-3 clarifies environmental control to include several strategies.
Multifaceted approaches to reduce exposures include determining exposures, history of symptoms in presence of exposures, and sensitivities and advising patients on ways to reduce exposure to those allergens and pollutants, or irritants to which the patient is sensitive. Subcutaneous immunotherapy is to be considered for patients who have persistent asthma and when there is a clear relationship between symptoms and exposure to an allergen to which the patient is sensitive. Recognition and treatment of co-morbid conditions may improve asthma control.
- How has your community asthma program promoted the inclusion of environmental controls in written asthma action plans?
- How has your community asthma program expanded education opportunities about environmental controls?
- How has your community asthma program promoted environmental controls at home, at school and at work?
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