![](http://www.hispanicfederation.org/media/press_releases/webrespira.jpg)
Asthma is at crisis levels in Latino communities. Latinos have disproportionately high rates of emergency room visits, hospital admissions and deaths caused by the disease. In New York City, asthma causes havoc in Latino communities from the Bronx to Newark, New Jersey. This month, Hispanic Federation is fighting back against asthma. In partnership with AstraZeneca, through its media networks and family of community-based organizations, HF aims to implement a community education and advocacy campaign, Hispanic Lung Health Education Campaign. The campaign kicks off on September 17, 2015 with a week-long Hispanic Asthma Call to Action when HF will activate 12 member agency sites across New York City and North New Jersey (Essex and Hudson counties), as designated asthma resource centers for Hispanics.
As a resource center, each member agency will host asthma/lung health workshops for community members and provide referral and/or appointments for clinical care when needed. Overall, the program will:
- Increase asthma and COPD awareness among Hispanics in New York City and North New Jersey
- Provide community education workshops focused on environmental/behavioral triggers for asthma and COPD, including smoking cessation education.
- Promote treatment and adherence best practices to reduce asthma-related hospitalizations
“Asthma is a silent menace in Latino homes across the tri-state area,” said HF President José Calderón. “We need to raise awareness in the community that this disease is manageable and that the worst outcomes are very often preventable. Our member agencies will be providing life-saving information to families and help them understand how to manage the disease.”
For more information please contact Director of Health Advocacy Samantha Paz spaz@hispanicfederation.org or 212.233.8955.