Asthma
The Wisconsin Asthma Program works with trusted organizations in your community to provide services that improve asthma outcomes. Using the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) EXHALE strategy, we strive to lessen the burden of asthma for every Wisconsinite.
Asthma basics
An asthma diagnosis can be scary. We’re here to help.
Wisconsin Initiatives and Resources
We work with schools, health care, and other partners to bring asthma care to all.
Statistics
We compile data about the asthma burden people in Wisconsin face.
Asthma-Safe Homes Program
Eligible families can take control of their asthma through education and home improvements.
Wisconsin Asthma Coalition
Healthcare professionals and community members work side by side to reduce asthma disparities.
Wisconsin Asthma Plan
A blueprint joining public health and health care advocates in the shared goal to improve asthma outcomes.
Partner spotlight: Children's Wisconsin
CJ is 6 years old and he has severe asthma. Everyday things a kid enjoys— running, jumping, and playing—can trigger a serious attack. But he's not alone. Uncontrolled asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood.
Watch this video to learn more about CJ's story and how the world-class asthma team at Children's Wisconsin isn't just treating symptoms—they're meeting kids in their homes, neighborhoods and schools so kids can stop worrying about their asthma and get back to being kids.
Children's Wisconsin is a partner of the Wisconsin Asthma Program and the Asthma-Safe Homes Program.
State and national asthma partner organizations
- Environmental Kids Club—The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides environment-focused classroom resources and project ideas for kids in kindergarten through 12th grade.
- Healthy Schools—Learn about efforts from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to manage asthma in schools.
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology—The professional membership association for respiratory care professionals and allied health specialists interested in cardiopulmonary care provides resources on allergies, asthma, and immune deficiency disorders.
- American Academy of Pediatrics—The academy’s parenting website, HealthyChildren.org, helps you:
- Identify and avoid asthma and allergy triggers.
- Manage symptoms.
- Recognize and prevent asthma attacks.
- Understand medications.
- American Association for Respiratory Care—The professional membership association for respiratory care professionals and allied health specialists interested in cardiopulmonary care provides asthma resources.
- American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology—This clinical association promotes research, advocacy, and professional and public education.
- MedlinePlus – Asthma—This resource from the National Library of Medicine provides information on asthma, including:
- How it’s diagnosed.
- Symptoms.
- Treatment options.
- Who is at-risk.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute—The institute’s “Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma 2007 (EPR-3)” outlines four essential parts of asthma care, including:
- Assessment and monitoring.
- Control of the factors that contribute to asthma’s severity.
- Patient education.
- Treatment with prescription drugs.
- AirCompare—Use this site to find and compare air quality in different parts of the country based on specific health conditions.
- Environmental Health Perspectives—This monthly journal of peer-reviewed research is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and covers the impact of the environment on health.
- Haz-Map—Find information on hazardous chemicals and occupational diseases.
- Indoor AlRepair at Home, School and Play Kit—The Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics created this kit to help children with asthma, their caregivers, school administrators, and other community members recognize the connection between good indoor air quality and improved asthma symptoms.
- National Center for Healthy Housing—This partnership brings together public health and housing advocates to promote cost-effective ways of making homes healthier and to exchange ideas and best practices.
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences– Asthma—Find information and resources on asthma from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health – Asthma and Allergies—Find information and resources on work-related asthma from the CDC.
- Secondhand Smoke and Smoke-free Homes—Find information and resources on secondhand smoke from the EPA.
- U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration – Occupational Asthma—Find information and resources on occupational asthma from OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).
- EPA – Asthma—Find information and resources on asthma from the EPA.
- EPA – Burn Wise—This EPA program promotes the importance of burning the right wood, the right way, in the right appliance to protect air quality.
- Allergy & Asthma Network—Find answers to your questions about how to reduce asthma and allergy symptoms, and how to prevent flare-ups.
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America—Find information and resources from the leading national nonprofit organization for people with allergies and asthma.
- CDC—The CDC’s National Asthma Control Program supports our goals to reduce:
- Activity limits due to asthma.
- Deaths.
- Emergency room visits.
- Hospitalizations.
- Missed days at school or work.
- CDC EXHALE Guidelines—The CDC’s National Asthma Control Program developed EXHALE, a set of six strategies that contribute to better asthma control through:
- Education on asthma self-management.
- X-tinguishing smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Home visits to reduce asthma triggers and teach self-management.
- Achievement of guidelines-based medical management.
- Linkages and coordination of care across settings.
- Environmental policies or best practices to reduce asthma triggers from indoor, outdoor, or occupational sources.
- Healthy People 2030—As the prevention agenda for the United States, Healthy People 2030 sets data-driven national objectives to improve health and well-being.
- Maternal and Child Health Library—Use this professional guide to find a selection of current, high-quality resources about asthma in kids and adolescents, including asthma’s prevalence and its impact on:
- Communities.
- Homes.
- Schools.
- Region 5 Air and Radiation Division—The EPA Region 5’s Asthma Program helps people manage their asthma throughout:
- Illinois.
- Indiana.
- Michigan.
- Minnesota.
- Ohio.
- Wisconsin.
- Green and Healthy Schools Wisconsin—Learn about resources to create a green and healthy school that benefits kids with asthma.
- Healthy School Environments—This EPA site provides one-stop access to programs and resources that help prevent and resolve environmental issues in schools.
- National Association of School Nurses—This specialty nursing nonprofit represents school nurses and works to improve the health and educational success of children.
- Tools for Schools—This comprehensive EPA resource helps schools maintain a healthy environment by identifying, correcting, and preventing air quality issues.
- Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Asthma Coalition—These diverse networks of organizations, agencies, and people are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of every child in Wisconsin.
- Environmental Public Health Tracking—Find data and information on asthma, which public health professionals track to:
- Evaluate current prevention efforts.
- Identify high-risk groups.
- Create programs and policies to reduce the burden of asthma.
- Fight Asthma Milwaukee Allies, Inc.—This group works to improve the lives of people affected by asthma through community partnerships, education, resources, and services.
- Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin—This organization collaborates with health care teams to improve the quality of medicine use in Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources—This department lets residents know about unhealthy air quality using the Air Quality Index/Air Quality Advisory system, which includes the two main pollutants likely to cause health problems in the state: ground-level ozone and tiny particle pollution.
- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction—Find school-based asthma resources by typing “asthma” into the search engine.
- Wisconsin’s Occupational Health Program—This program promotes a safer, healthier workforce by tracking and learning from work-related exposures, hazards, illnesses, and injuries.
- Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line—You can call 800-QUIT-NOW for free, confidential coaching on how to quit smoking or chewing tobacco, or for tips and resources.
For more information, contact the Wisconsin Asthma Program.