Asthma, Indoor Air Quality and Tribal Schools in Montana

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Asthma, Indoor Air Quality and Tribal Schools in
Montana
A rural states perspective
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Asthma in Montana Youth

• Asthma is a common disease among Montana children
  affecting over 17,000 children aged 0-17.
• 6.3 of children aged 0-18 and 10.4 of high
  school students in MT report current asthma
• Asthma affects school attendance and performance.
• With planning, asthma can be controlled in the
  school setting.

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Asthma among American Indian Youth

• MT has 7 American Indian reservations and 12
  Tribal Nations represented in the state
• 11.4 of students in Montana public schools are
  American Indian (Source OPI)
• 10.3 of American Indians aged 0-17 in Montana
  report current asthma (2008-2009 BRFSS)
• Smoking and Environmental Tobacco Smoke exposure
  are of greater concern in tribal populations

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What is asthma?

• Chronic disease
• No Cure
• Can be CONTROLLED
• Underlying Inflammation (Silent component)
• Muscle tightening (During
  attack)

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How is asthma controlled?

• Medical management
• Proper medication
• Self-management education

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How is asthma controlled?
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL Reduce exposure to things
that trigger attacks
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Asthma in Montana Carlenes Story
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Special challenges related to working in Montana
schools

• Difficulty with working across 429 separate
  school districts
• Many MT schools are very small (69 have lt500
  students)
• Importance of local control
• Unique perspective and needs of tribal schools
• Need for interventions to be low/no costs and for
  man power required to be minimal

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Organizations working on asthma in MT schools
Montana Team Asthma
Montana Association of School Nurses
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Key activities

• Creating Asthma Friendly Schools resource guide
• School administrators surveys- 2008 and
  2011
• In-person training to school office staff on
  using the resource guide (600 school staff
  trained)
• School nurse mini-grants
• New AsthmaMontana website with free online
  training
• www.asthmamontana.com

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7 Steps to creating an asthma friendly school
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3
4
1
7
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Identify students with asthma
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Results of School Administrator Survey, 2008 and
2011
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Results of School Administrator Survey, 2008 and
2011
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Results of School Administrator Survey 2011
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Step 1 Identify students with asthma
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Step 4 Identify and reduce common asthma triggers
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Goal 6 Provide education to personnel,
parents and students  
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Step 4 Identify and reduce common asthma triggers

• Resource guide recommendations
• First and foremost, know your school and your
  students (eg peanut allergy)
• Focus on the triggers most important in Montana
  and in your school settings

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Step 4 Identify and reduce common asthma triggers

• Resource guide recommendations
• Reduce school bus idling
• Enact a comprehensive tobacco free school policy
• Consider pet free policies if necessary
• Utilize Integrated Pest Management
• Reduce strong odors and sprays
• Accommodate weather changes
• Respond to allergens
• Utilize your janitorial staff and keep
  HVAC/building inspections up to date
• Control respirator y infections

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School nurse mini-grant projects
Assessing asthma friendly policies and practices
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Reduce asthma triggers
Request free resources and training www.asthmamon
tana.com
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Conclusion Making your school more asthma
friendly  

• Utilize the resources provided free of charge by
  the Montana Asthma Control Program
• Do an assessment (potentially through the school
  nurse mini-grant program) of what simple steps
  could be taken to improve your school environment
• Know your setting and students-every school is
  unique
• Utilize comprehensive resources like Tools for
  Schools if feasible
• Contact Montana Team Asthma
• Katie Loveland, MPH, MSW
• kloveland_at_mt.gov
• 406-444-7304

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Questions?