Communications Tools for Asthma Awareness
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 13 Americans (more than 25 million) lives with asthma, a disease affecting the lungs and causing repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing.
Events
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
For people with asthma and allergies, spring can be especially difficult. As a result, National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month was created in 1984 by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).
Air Quality Awareness Week
Since 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its AirNow partners (including NOAA National Weather Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the USDA Forest Service, and the U.S. Department of State) have worked together to promote Air Quality Awareness Week, to raise awareness about the critically important role that air quality plays in our health. Each year, the group promotes a different campaign related to air quality–the 2020 theme is Better Air, Better Health!–as well as daily themes, such as “Wildfires and Smoke” or “Asthma and Your Health.” Follow along on social media using #AQAW or #getoutside.
- Air Quality Awareness Week dates:
2020: May 4–8 | 2021: TBA | 2022: TBA | 2023: TBA | 2024: TBA
World Asthma Day
First organized in 1998 by the Global Initiative for Asthma to improve asthma awareness and care, World Asthma Day is observed annually on the first Tuesday in May.
- World Asthma Day dates:
2020: May 5 | 2021: May 4 | 2022: May 3 | 2023: May 2 | 2024: May 7
Tools
Asthma Capitals
The annual Asthma Capitals™ report, published by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), ranks the top 100 metropolitan cities in which breathing easily is most challenging for people with asthma. This report is intended to help those living in the ranked cities advocate for improved care and better policies and also shows how communities can work to reduce the impact of asthma. [url; AAFA]
CDC’s Asthma Awareness Month/World Asthma Day Toolkit
“On World Asthma Day and throughout May, people with asthma and organizations dedicated to asthma control and education join together to increase awareness about asthma and improve the lives of all people with asthma.” [url; CDC]
EPA’s Asthma Awareness Month Event Planning Kit
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created a comprehensive event planning kit to assist asthma programs with community-based asthma awareness and action events in schools, hospitals, clinics, and state buildings during Asthma Awareness Month. Also included are sample materials and a resource order form. [pdf; EPA, 2013]
Do you know of a great resource that no asthma awareness communications toolkit should be without? Tell us about it! Send your suggestions to Amanda Reddy or Christopher Bloom.