Breathing Trouble: The Fight for Asthma Care

In the heart of California's Imperial Valley, a region known for its winter crops and severe air pollution, a young boy's asthma attack sent his mother into a panic. Esther Bejarano had no idea what triggered her 11-month-old son's symptoms. She suspected pesticides used in nearby agricultural fields. This area, straddling two counties on the U. S. -Mexico border, has some of the worst air quality in the nation. It also has one of the highest rates of childhood asthma emergency room visits in the state. This is not an isolated case. Millions of people in the U. S. struggle with asthma, a condition that can be life-threatening if not managed properly. Nearly 10 people die from asthma every day in the country. The fight against asthma is ongoing, and it's not just about medical treatment. It's about education and prevention. Bejarano now works at Comite Civico del Valle, a local rights organization focused on environmental justice. The group trains healthcare workers to educate patients on proper asthma management. This helps patients avoid hospitalization and eliminate triggers at home. The program is so popular that there's a waiting list. However, this initiative, along with similar programs nationwide, faces an uncertain future due to proposed budget cuts and grant cancellations by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency. Asthma experts are concerned about the potential impact of these cuts. They fear that more emergency room visits and deaths could occur, particularly among children and low-income communities. These populations are already disproportionately vulnerable to the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Asthma Control Program, which funds state-administered initiatives, is at risk of being shut down. This program has shown significant impact, saving $71 in healthcare costs for every $1 invested. The asthma death rate decreased by 44% between 1999 and 2021, thanks in part to this program. The loss of this program could mean a lack of crucial data for asthma educators and healthcare providers. The federal asthma program collects information on asthma rates and offers tools to study prevalence and death rates from the disease. This data is essential for forming educated recommendations and treatment plans. Without it, healthcare professionals may struggle to justify the services they provide. Communities of color are disproportionately affected by asthma due to historic structural issues. They are more likely to live in public housing or near highways and other pollution sources. Cuts to diversity initiatives and the rollback of environmental protections will have a significant impact on these at-risk populations. Environmental advocates worry that proposed reversals of environmental regulations will further harm the health of communities already struggling with the effects of climate change. In Bombay Beach, an area in California's Imperial Valley, a 12-year-old girl died from an asthma attack in 2022. She was on the waiting list for Comite Civico del Valle's at-home asthma education program. Her death highlighted the urgent need for better asthma care in the region. Homes in Bombay Beach lack clean running water, and residents frequently experience a foul smell from the drying lakebed, exposing decades of pesticide-tinged dirt. This is a stark reminder that asthma is a preventable and reversible condition. With the right care and education, people with asthma can live healthy lives.