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Ozone and Your Patients' Health is a short, evidence-based training course designed for family practice doctors, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, asthma educators and other medical professionals who counsel patients about asthma and respiratory symptoms. This course is a short, evidence-based training that:

• Describes the physiological mechanisms responsible for the lung function changes and symptoms caused by exposure to ground-level ozone
• Describes the relationships observed between ground-level ozone and other adverse health effects
• Discusses in detail the effects of ozone exposure on patients with asthma
• Helps health care providers advise their patients about exposure to ozone
• Provides practical Patient Education Tools to help patients understand what triggers their symptoms and how to alleviate them

This Enduring Material activity, Ozone and Your Patients' Health, has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 1.50 Prescribed credit(s) by the American Academy of Family Physicians. AAFP certification begins December 15, 2011. Term of approval is for two years from this date with the option of yearly renewal. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The Minnesota Department of Health has created a free home environmental assessment training, named Reducing Environmental Triggers of Asthma–Home, or RETA-Home. This program teaches you about the triggers of asthma found in the home and suggests simple interventions that can limit or eliminate exposure to them. It also tours a home to show areas where asthma triggers are found. The training takes about 40 minutes to view. It includes pre- and post-test questions that highlight important points, and you may print out a certificate of completion at the end. In addition, there is a resource section that can be accessed both during the program and after the program has been completed.

This training utilizes the expertise of individuals who have extensive experience in both providing in-home asthma management and conducting home assessments. It builds on data from projects showing that environmental interventions, coupled with in-home asthma medical management, are effective in reducing nighttime symptoms, missed school days, and the number of asthma hospital visits and unscheduled, urgent care office visits.

This training program was made possible from grants from EPA Region V and CDC.

The Great American Asthma Challenge links people with asthma, their families and friends, healthcare providers, legislators and members of the healthcare industry in a shared mission, working at home and in their communities to transform asthma care in a ripple effect across the nation.

Participants log into a new interactive website, take a quick survey to establish a baseline and set goals, then they’re off to complete Challenge activities targeted for three levels of users: families, healthcare providers and legislators. New Challenges will be posted on the website each month. Throughout the Challenge, participants will see survey results and share feedback. The Challenge is self-paced and fun, plugging participants into a network of others who share their struggles, triumphs and goals. At the end of the Challenge, users take a survey to measure their progress.