ORQUIDEAS: COMBATING ASTHMA

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ORQUIDEAS COMBATING ASTHMA
NOELIA, TINA, LAURA HUNTER COLLEGE
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WHAT IS ASTHMA?

• ASTHMA IS INFLAMATION AND NARROWING OF THE AIR
  WAYS (Bronchial Tubes)

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COMMON ASTHMA TRIGGERS
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DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

• Peak Flow Examination
• Pulmonary Function Tests
• Methacholine Provocation Test
• Allergy Tests
• Asthma Control Test

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ASTHMA MEDICATIONS

• Quick acting inhaler
• Lung-acting inhaler
• Steroid inhaler
• Epinephrine (shot)
• Cromolyn sodium inhaler

• Pills
• Zafirlukast, Zileuton and Montelukas
• Theophylline
• Corticosteroids( also injection)

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REALITY OF ASTHMA IN THE BRONX

• One of the most serious health problems for
  children in the Bronx.
• Hospitalization rates are 1000 times higher in
  the Bronx than in NY as a whole and one of the
  highest in the nation.
• 1 reason for school absenteeism.
• 1 reason for emergency room visits.
• Proximity of facilities that release toxic
  substances into air, water and land.

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OUR PROJECT

• Conducted Asthma Survey
• In P.S. 48 Joseph R Drake
• Population 4th Graders

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INFORMATIVE MEETING
Held in conjunction with the American Lung
Association
Volunteer for Asthma walk on June 5, 2005
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HUNTS POINT - THE BRONX

• Community Development
• Sustainable South Bronx
• The Point

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WHAT IS BEING DONE?

• Open Airways for Schools American Lung
  Association
• The Use of Windmill Power Long Island Power
  Authority and FPL
• Government Proposed Solutions
• Bloomberg is planning to pass five City Council
  bills that will control air pollution from trucks
  and busses.
• The Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel -underwater
  tunnel between Brooklyn- New Jersey

• PROS
• Improve environment
• Eliminate truck trips
• Reduce truck emission
• Stimulate economy
• Create new jobs
• Lower prices of goods
• Revival of Brooklyn Ports

• CONS
• Band-Aid solution since it will limit truck
  traffic from New Jersey and Manhattan to Maspeth,
  Queens- an area already affected with 24,000
  truck trips a day
• Bloomberg no longer approves the initiative
• A lot of Environmental protection bills do not
  pass since Large energy producers are also big
  political contributors

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FUTURE PROJECTS

• Continue Asthma Surveys of the affected area
• More informative meetings and workshops
• Conduct a Health fair
• Work in conjunction with community based
  organizations