Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way

Healthy NJ 2020

Healthy New Jersey

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Asthma

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that causes repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing.1  According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the burden of asthma in the United States, as in New Jersey, falls disproportionately on Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native people.  These groups have the highest asthma prevalence, death, and hospitalization rates. The costs in lost productivity, health care related expenditures, and educational interruption are significant. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled so that people are able to lead active and healthy lives.

Objectives

Baseline*
Progress Toward Target
Target*
Assessment is final
Reduce asthma deaths 
 
 
 
 
Reduce asthma hospitalization rate among young children
 
 
 
 
Reduce asthma hospitalizations among 5 to 64 year-olds
 
 
 
 
Reduce asthma hospitalizations among persons 65 years and older
 
 
 
 
Reduce asthma emergency department visits (children under 5)
 
 
 
 
Reduce asthma emergency department visits among 5 to 64 year-olds
 
 
 
 
Reduce asthma emergency department visits (65 years and older)
 
 
 
 
Reduce asthma-related school absenteeism among children
 
 
 
 
Reduce asthma-related work absenteeism among adults
 
 
 
 
Increase children with an asthma action plan
 
 
 
 
Increase adults with an asthma action plan
 
 
 
 
Increase children with asthma advised to make changes in indoor environment
 
 
 
 
Increase adults with asthma advised to make changes to indoor environment
 
 
 
 

Legend

Progress Toward Target

*Figures shown are a mix of counts, percentages, rates, and ratios. Click the Objective statement for more information about the corresponding measure.

Exceeding Target
At/Making progress toward Target
Not progressing toward Target
Negative progression toward Target

2018-2023

New Jersey has adopted a broad, multi-disciplinary approach to addressing asthma. The complex nature of this epidemic requires partnerships with State as well as non-governmental organizations. These partnerships have included:

In the past, the NJDOH Asthma Program and the State Asthma Committee partnered to create the New Jersey Asthma Strategic Plan, which serves as a guidance document for state government, health care providers, community organizations, public health advocates, and others in the awareness, management, and treatment of asthma in New Jersey.  The NJDOH actively supported the American Lung Association of New Jersey and the New Jersey Thoracic Society in the founding of the Pediatric/Adult Asthma Coalition of New Jersey (PACNJ) to act as a statewide clearinghouse for pediatric asthma programs and services.

The NJDOH's comprehensive report describes the effects of asthma on the health of New Jersey residents and surveillance efforts within the state. Surveillance updates are being conducted to help achieve the Healthy New Jersey 2020 goals of reducing asthma hospitalizations and reduced deaths.

Projects
  • The Nicholson Foundation funded the New Jersey In-home Asthma Intervention Pilot Project.  The project began in late 2017 and the purpose of the Project was to improve asthma outcomes and reduce health care costs among children aged 2-17 years enrolled in NJ FamilyCare by:
    • Funding the implementation of a specific evidence-based, home-based asthma intervention
    • Supporting technical assistance and training for Project staff
    • Funding an evaluation of post-intervention changes in pediatric patients’ asthma control
    • Partnering with NJDOH to evaluate the cost and effectiveness of the Project in order to promote its long-term sustainability.
  • Key findings from the Pilot Project showed that:
    • Key indicators of asthma trigger exposure and control improved for the enrolled children and families.
    • The number of children with a confirmed written asthma action plan increased significantly (30.4% at visit 1 to 69.6% at visit 3, p<0.001).
  • The New Jersey Department of Health is funding an economic-focused evaluation of the project through the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy (CSHP). The evaluation reviewed post-intervention changes in pediatric patients’ asthma control and evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the intervention to determine its long-term sustainability. 
Outreach
  • The Nicholson Foundation funded four New Jersey-based organizations to implement the home-visiting model: Health Coalition of Passaic County, Rutgers School of Nursing, Rutgers NJ Medical School Department of Pediatrics (delivered by the Newark Community Health Center), Jersey Shore University Medical Center, and Henry J. Austin Health Center.  The Nicholson Foundation provided outreach in the form of training support and technical assistance to the organizations in the pilot project. 
Recent Policies and Legislation
  • P.L.2023, c.105 Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage for epinephrine auto-injector devices and asthma inhalers
Grants and funding given by NJDOH
Grants received by NJDOH
  • Funding assigned from the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant
Assets/resources
  • The home environment can be a major source of asthma triggers.  Leveraging resources from housing repair programs such as weatherization and lead remediation to reduce asthma triggers in the home.
Challenges
  • People with untreated or under-treated asthma can face many challenges.  These challenges include:
    • Sleep disturbance
    • Poor concentration 
    • Missed school
    • Missed work
    • Financial burden
Disparities/inequities
  • There is some variation in asthma prevalence by county.
  • The number of women with asthma is almost double the number of men with asthma; however, asthma occurs more frequently in boys than girls.
  • Anyone can develop asthma; however, children, Black, Hispanic, and urban residents are most likely to be affected.
  • Although the number of asthma deaths each year is relatively small and the rates are low, a large disparity exists between Black persons and other racial/ethnic groups.
Final Assessment
  • Six targets were achieved by 2020:
    • Inpatient hospitalizations and emergency department visits due to asthma among children under 5 and persons aged 5 to 64 years (4 objectives)
    • Asthma-related school and work absenteeism among children and adults (2 objectives)
  • There was improvement, but the target was not met, for three objectives:
    • Emergency department visits due to asthma among persons aged 65 and over
    • Proportion of children with an asthma action plan
    • Proportion of children advised to make changes to their indoor environments
  • Little or no change was seen for two objectives:
    • Inpatient hospitalizations due to asthma among persons aged 65 and older
    • Proportion of adults with an asthma action plan
  • Two objectives moved in the wrong direction:
    • Asthma deaths
    • Proportion of adults advised to make changes to their indoor environments

 

For more information, please refer to these resources:

Reference:

  1.  Asthma. CDC. 12/7/20.

 

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