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Established in 1998, the primary functions of the Asthma Program include the development of a surveillance system and collaboration with Arizona's asthma coalitions to improve the lives of persons with asthma. The program's goal through the Office of Prevention and Health Promotion is to eliminate complications and deaths from asthma in Arizona.
Asthma
in Arizona
Asthma is a chronic disorder of the airway system. An estimated 316,200 Arizona residents suffered with considerable breathing discomforts and stress from asthma during 1998.
Nationally, asthma affects more than 15 million people including five million children.
Asthma mortality rates in Arizona equaled or exceeded the United States mortality rates from 1991 through 1998.
Perspectives of serious asthma attacks and fatalities can be characterized for age, sex, race,
and regions of residence through Arizona Hospital Discharge Data (including length of stay and cost of care while hospitalized) and Arizona Mortality Data available to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Collaboration with Arizona's asthma coalitions promotes a more effective targeting of resource allocations for education and efforts to reduce severe episodes. This in turn will reduce medical costs, loss of school/work days, and distress to those persons affected by asthma.
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