NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst has partnered with non-profit the Arts4All Foundation and the Queens community to commemorate National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month by focusing on the rapid rise of asthma cases in Queens.

The Arts4All Foundation, a Queens-based non-profit advocating for vulnerable communities, organized a National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month program at Elmhurst Hospital throughout May aiming to educate the public about the rise of asthma and allergic diseases and how to reduce risk factors.

The month-long program also aimed to promote effective clinical treatments and sustainable solutions to combat increased rates of asthma throughout Queens.

According to recent data from the New York State Department of Health and Elmhurst Hospital, neighborhoods such as Elmhurst, Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Flushing, Rego Park, Jamaica, St. Albans, Hollis and the Rockaways have among the highest concentrations of asthma hospitalizations and asthma-related deaths in the state. Queens neighborhoods also rank high in terms of asthma school-related absences and overall poor pulmonary health outcomes. 

As part of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, the foundation launched the Universal Declaration of Asthma Rights, a document calling for asthma care rights in disadvantaged and climate justice communities.

The document calls for the strenghtening of health, environmental, educational and housing protections for communities over-burdened by congestion and pollution as well as those facing poor living conditions and health inequity.

Several healthcare officials, Elmhurst Hospital staff and members of the Queens community signed the document on May 23, cadding to thousands of online signatures calling for the document to be enacted into law.

Arts4All Foundation founder Dr. Sumita SenGupta, who authored the declaration, said the declaration would reduce barriers to healthcare and improve health outcomes. 

“Every year  between 400,000 and 460,000 lives worldwide are taken by asthma; that is 11 Americans per day and roughly 299 New Yorkers  annually, in which the overwhelming majority of these deaths are preventable,” SenGupta said in a statement. “Premature deaths caused by manageable illnesses are  unacceptable and an infringement on our most basic human rights.” 

Alina Moran, CEO of Elmhurst Hospital, described the Arts4All Foundation’s initiative as an “important asthma awareness program.”

“Our Pulmonology Medicine team is committed to delivering the highest-quality care, and that includes taking on some of the most complex respiratory  health challenges of our state, which is the rise in chronic asthma,” Moran said in a statement.

Moran, along with Chief of Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Dr. Alfredo Astua, led a public forum at Elmhurst Hospital throughout the May as part of the foundation’s month-long program. Astua gave an educational presentation on the onset of asthma and respiratory illnesses as part of the initiative in addition to highlighting effective treatments, signs of asthma attacks, asthmatic triggers and advice for caregivers.

The public forums also included recommendations to reduce asthma symptoms, supportive services for asthma patients and the spotlighting of medical services provided for patients by the hospital’s Pulmonology Department. 

Astua said asthma disproportionately impacts minority communities, noting that roughly 203,000 Queens residents have been diagnosed with active asthma.

“Black, Latino, and Asian aging populations are three times more likely to die from an asthma-related death,” Astua said. “Expanding access to premier medical care has always been our priority, and we are proud to have developed an  integrated, data-driven, and community-centered approach to asthma care.” 

The month-long program concluded with a demonstration on how to administer  emergency asthma medication by Ambika Devi Sengupta, a 5-year-old Queens resident born during the pandemic who has moderate  asthma and was diagnosed with prolonged COVID-19 for 81 days.

The Arts4All Foundation ended the month by providing 500 free gifts to the local community, including nasal strips to promote healthy breathing, allergy-friendly treats and anxiety-support toys and stickers. The non-profit also provided educational material for identifying asthmatic triggers and managing symptoms.