Information on environmental health services for kids can be hard for parents to find: APHA review

Since Aluveller Perkins’ son was diagnosed with asthma, she has been dogged about finding environmental health services to manage his illness.

It has been a long ordeal, but she eventually found services in Washington, D.C, where she lives: Through the Impact DC Asthma Clinic, Perkins connected with assistance from the Children’s Law Center and the DC Partnership for Healthy Homes, helping her access services to reduce in-home asthma triggers. She has also made lifestyle changes to control her son’s asthma, such as banning smoking in her home and car.

“I’m learning as I go along, making sure I’m doing everything possible to be proactive and (support) his health,” Perkins told The Nation’s Health.

Environmental health services, from asthma home visiting programs to lead testing, can help protect children from the dangerous environmental exposures they encounter every day. But the problem for parents and caregivers is accessing such services, a new analysis from APHA’s Center for Public Health Policy shows.

To be released this month, “Protecting the Health of Children: A National Snapshot of Environmental Health Services” details the barriers that parents face when seeking information on environmental health services for their children.

Continue reading this story from the January 2019 issue of The Nation's Health.