Environmental Assessment/Checklist

Posted with permission from the Journal of Environmental Health, a publication of the National Environmental Health Association, www.neha.org.  Further posting of this article is restricted. For permission, contact jeh@neha.org. 

This article will appear in the January/February 2014 issue of the Journal of Environmental Health.

Abstract: Asthma, the most significant cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality, is exacerbated by adverse environmental conditions, especially substandard housing. The clinical care provider is often unable to address housing and environmental trigger issues. In Boston, Massachusetts, a web-based referral system called Breathe Easy At Home has been put in place, through which clinicians can refer patients to have their homes inspected for housing code violations that may be contributing to their asthma. Violations will then be brought to the attention of the landlord, who then has the option of redressing the issue or be taken to housing court. By bringing the local public health department, the city’s inspectional services department, and the clinical care provider together with the help of a program coordinator, Breathe Easy At Home is able to provide comprehensive care to asthma patients. This program also serves as a replicable model for other cities and jurisdictions to follow.

The New England Asthma Innovations Collaborative (NEAIC) is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation-funded Healthcare Innovation Award.  NEAIC is a multi-state, multi-sector partnership that includes health care providers, payers, and policy makers aimed at creating an innovative Asthma Marketplace in New England that will increase the supply and demand for high-quality, cost-effective health care services delivered to Medicaid children with severe asthma.  Convened by the Asthma Regional Council of New England (a program of Health Resources in Action), NEAIC's 8 provider partners will see over 1400 children over 3 years.  The Suggested Supplies list was designed to guide NEAIC provider sites that were new to asthma home visiting and to standardize required supplies across the 8 sites.

The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved  Comprehensive Asthma Resource List has everything you need to create an an asthma care home for your patients. In one location, you can find resources including clinical guidelines, patient education and self-management materials, policy briefs, asthma reports, clinical toolkits, mobile technology and asthma information, and smoking cessation and tobacco materials.

Many of the resources are available in both English and Spanish, and some in other languages, including Chinese. Also included are a variety of multimedia tools such as videos and interactive web sites. There are even links to asthma-related training courses where continuing education credits are available.