The St. Mary’s County Health Department has begun a new program targeting people who suffer from asthma. According to St. Mary’s County Health Officer Dr. Meena Brewster, asthma is the number one reason for children missing school. Children under the age of 18 have a higher incidence of asthma in St. Mary’s County than the state average.
Dr. Brewster explained the “Asthma Control Program” Tuesday to the St. Mary’s County Commissioners, who were sitting as the county Board of Health, as they do periodically. The state-funded program provides one-time free home visits by an asthma nurse. The visits would include:
· Asthma education and resources
· Home environmental assessment
· Environmental trigger remediation
· Connect to additional resources (such as tobacco cessation)
· Coordinate treatment with other agencies
Some of the environmental triggers in a home could be: smoke, dust, fungus spores, cold air, chemical fumes, bugs, pollen, e
