THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA DESIGNATING MAY 2010 AS

ASTHMA AWARENESS MONTH

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WHEREAS, approximately 15.4% of San Mateo County residents have been diagnosed with asthma, including 27,000 children and 82,000 adults and asthma attacks cause people with asthma and their family members to miss thousands of days at work and school each year; and

WHEREAS, poor indoor and outdoor air quality are known to affect both the development of asthma and the severity of asthma symptoms; and

WHEREAS, differences in living conditions and access to health care contribute to racial/ethnic and economic disparities in the prevalence and severity of asthma; and

WHEREAS, disparities in asthma control are evident in differences in emergency department visits by San Mateo County residents, with African-Americans being 3½ times more likely and Hispanics 2½ times more likely than Caucasians to visit an emergency department for asthma; and

WHEREAS, many people in San Mateo County have taken steps to decrease the burden of asthma in their communities by stopping smoking, controlling energy use to decrease air pollution, establishing child care-based and school-based programs to improve asthma care, and educating people with asthma on both medical and environmental approaches to controlling asthma.

WHEREAS, the establishment and enforcement of regulations to limit smoking and to require healthy conditions in rental housing, and the development of programs to improve access to medical care are having a positive impact on the health of people with asthma.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, hereby designates May 2010 as Asthma Awareness Month, and the Board further commends those who are working to decrease the burden of asthma among the residents of the county, and encourage others to join in this effort.

Dated: May 11, 2010

SUPERVISORS:

RICHARD S. GORDON, President

MARK CHURCH

CAROLE GROOM

ROSE JACOBS GIBSON

ADRIENNE J. TISSIER

Attest:

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Deputy Clerk of the Board of Supervisors