New Mexico Asthma Program
About Us
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Asthma Program is funded by a Cooperative Agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health. Since 2000, the NMDOH Asthma Program has worked with many groups statewide to address asthma disparities in order to reduce the state's burden of asthma.
What We Do
- Conduct asthma surveillance by collecting and analyzing data from various systems statewide such as hospitals, emergency departments, schools, tribal governments and others. The Program shares results with community stakeholders, the general public and public health colleagues. Program and communities gain better understanding from these results.
- Develop working partnerships statewide with healthcare providers, health plans, hospitals, non-profit groups, state agencies, public schools and childcare centers, tribal affiliated groups, university hospital and others. The concerted efforts of the Asthma Program and working partners aim for improving awareness of asthma disparities and developing sustainable programs for reducing asthma rates in New Mexico. The Program also partners with Healthy Homes, Lead Poisoning Prevention, and Occupational Health to improve coordinated outreach efforts and provide updated indoor environmental health information and education for the public housing sector, families, community and occupational health partners. Poor indoor air and unhealthy living environments are linked to worsening of asthma symptoms.
- Plan, develop and incorporate asthma scientific-based education interventions for pre-school and school-age children as well as healthcare providers. The Asthma Program has implemented the Open Airways for Schools Program; Asthma and Allergy Essentials for Child Care Providers; Physician Asthma Care Education (PACE) and supports the implementation of other school programs such as EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program.
- Evaluate Program successes by measuring the effectiveness of surveillance, partnerships and implementation. Evaluations consist of surveys, interviews and reviews. This enables communities and partners to share program successes, and see where the program may be improved.
