[Enesta Jones] Hello, and welcome to Green Scene, an environmental podcast you can take with you. I'm Enesta Jones of the Office of Public Affairs. Millions of Americans suffer from the serious and sometimes life-threatening respiratory disease called asthma. While May is Asthma Awareness Month, EPA is committed year-round to educating all Americans about asthma so that everyone knows what asthma is, how the environment can affect asthma patients, and how to manage environmental asthma triggers. As part of our efforts, EPA supports organizations that are working to improve the lives of people with asthma. Today, joining me is Tracey Mitchell, a registered respiratory therapist and certified asthma educator from our Indoor Environments Division in the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, and a representative from one of EPA's partners in our asthma awareness efforts, Marcela Gieminiani from the Asthma & Allergy Network Mothers of Asthmatics, AAANMA. Welcome, Tracey and Marcela, to the show. [Tracey Mitchell] Thank you. [Enesta Jones] Thank you for being here today. [Marcela Gieminiani] Thank you for having me. [Enesta Jones] So, before we start talking about asthma, Marcela, can you tell me a little bit about your organization? [Marcela Gieminiani] Yes, Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics is a non-profit organization whose mission is to eliminate death and suffering due to asthma, allergy and related conditions. We have a group of volunteers working with us across the country. We call them outreach service coordinators, and as part of that group we have the Hispanic outreach service, which includes cultural competent educational material and volunteers working with underserved populations. We also work with families and schools and community centers creating awareness on the disease so people can learn how to prevent and manage asthma. [Enesta Jones] And Tracey, in addition to supporting non-profits, what else is EPA doing to promote awareness and to fund this disease? [Tracey Mitchell] EPA, directly and indirectly through some of our partner organizations, is conducting research in primarily three areas: to learn more about the genetics of asthma, the genetic component and why some populations are more affected than others. We're also learning more about things in the environment that trigger asthma and why some things are more of a trigger than others. And then we're also working to learn more about ways to reduce those triggers and what are the most effective ways to reduce peoples' exposures to things that could cause an asthma episode. [Enesta Jones] Now let's talk more about asthma itself. What is this disease, and what are some common symptoms? [Tracey Mitchell] Asthma is a disease of the airways in the lung. And when someone has asthma, their airways become inflamed, red and swollen, and the lungs produce excess mucus, so it makes it very difficult to breathe. Common symptoms are coughing, wheezing or whistling sound in the chest and difficulty or shortness of breath. And it can be very scary, especially for a child who's having an asthma episode. It is one of the most chronic diseases in childhood, and so it is a very serious problem in children. [Enesta Jones] Some of those symptoms we're seeing now because of the flowers being in full bloom. What are some of the differences between asthma and common allergy? [Tracey Mitchell] Asthma and allergies are actually very closely related. Many people who have asthma have the allergic asthma, whereas pollens and molds, things in the environment that are seasonal, often can trigger an asthma episode, so along with the watery eyes or the scratchy throat, the itchy nose, people who have allergic asthma also will have the wheezing and the coughing, and sometimes those go hand in hand in about 80 percent of the cases. [Enesta Jones] Is there a certain population that is most at risk? [Tracey Mitchell] As I mentioned, children are actually the higher risk population, or a higher risk population. Also, Hispanics are at a greater risk and primarily Puerto Ricans are disproportionately affected by asthma. About two million Hispanics in the country, in the United States, has asthma, and so they're definitely impacted more than other populations. And actually African Americans have a higher hospitalization rate and a higher death rate than other populations, and so they are of a particular concern. And we're working across all of these populations to help decrease the impact of asthma. [Enesta Jones] Marcela, in your work with the community and with children, what tends to make asthma worse? [Marcela Gieminiani] Well, we call them triggers, and there's a lot of things that can set off asthma and people should be aware of what's their particular trigger. Even though they are different for each people, the most common are dust, mold, furry animals, pests like cockroaches and mice. Second-hand smoke can trigger asthma also, as well as play or exercise, viruses and air pollution. [Enesta Jones] Prevention is often key. Is there anything you can do to prevent an attack? [Marcela Gieminiani] Yes, people with asthma and parents of children with asthma should know that with good care, anyone with asthma can lead a healthy life. The key is to work with the doctor or the health care professional to develop a treatment plan. This plan is called Asthma Action Plan, and it will tell you what medicine to take, when to take them, what to do when asthma symptoms get worse, and how to avoid your triggers. Avoiding triggers is key component of good asthma management. Also, if the child has asthma, you may want to be sure that anyone who takes care of the kid has a copy of the Asthma Action Plan and understands how to use it. [Enesta Jones] Are there simple things that parents can do to avoid the triggers? [Marcela Gieminiani] If we are talking about indoor quality and asthma management, there's several steps that people can follow. The tips are to keep your house clean, dry and free of dust. That will prevent mold and pests. Also, if dust mites are -- set off your asthma, you may want to use an allergy- proof cover, and also wash your sheets and blankets weekly with very hot water. And what is very important is never allow nobody to smoke inside your house or in the car or at work. [Enesta Jones] Is there any other advice we want to give to our viewers? [Marcela Gieminiani] Yes. I think having an Asthma Action Plan, taking the medicines that your doctor prescribes, and try to avoid your triggers is a key, key component for better asthma management. You can take simple steps to make your home asthma friendly, and you may want to start from your room, and then with small changes, you can have your home healthier for the whole family. [Tracey Mitchell] I think I'd just like to say while asthma can't be cured, we know enough that we can manage it and that while we are looking and doing the research that we talked about and the sound science, there are things, simple things as Marcela told us, that parents and that people can do to address asthma right now. And at EPA we're working through organizations like the Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics and other national partners to educate health care providers about comprehensive asthma care and including asthma management and to really help at the community level to address asthma in communities across the country. So, the help is out there, and hopefully people will be able to access that and be able to help their children especially breathe easier. [Enesta Jones] Thank you, Tracey and Marcela, for being here today. [Marcela Gieminiani] Thank you. [Tracey Mitchell] Thanks. [Enesta Jones] More information about EPA's efforts to reduce exposure to asthma triggers and what you could do to minimize their impact is available at www.epa.gov/asthma. See you next time on Green Scene.