ORANGE COUNTY: Latinos Launch Anti-Asthma Campaign
Orange County Latinos Thursday launched an "aggressive" campaign against asthma, calling for increased collaboration among community groups to fight the condition. About 100 activists, educators and health care workers gathered at the event organized by the Latino Issues Forum, where they also demanded additional school nurses. According to a Health Care Agency study, 18.5% of county parents have a child diagnosed with asthma -- more than twice the national rate of 7.5%. Experts at the event pointed out that Latinos are especially likely to be exposed to conditions that trigger asthmatic symptoms, including poor air quality, overcrowded housing and a lack of medical care. Paul Qaqundah, clinical professor of pediatrics at the UC-Irvine, said, "When we go to emergency rooms, we see Latinos with acute attacks of asthma. Many of them are sent home with medication, but there is no follow-up. They are receiving episodic care -- not regular care." Some 1.8 million Californians, including 500,000 Latinos, suffer from asthma (Do, Orange County Register, 2/11).
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