LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION calling upon the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to develop a remedial action plan addressing the high inci-
dence of asthma in children living in the Borough of the Bronx in the
City of New York

WHEREAS, Asthma is an incurable chronic lung disease that inflames and
narrows the airways; asthma affects three hundred million people in the
world with more than twenty-four million of them in the United States,
nearly nine million of whom are children; in New York State alone more
than one million adults have asthma; the complications of asthma can be
severe and the disease kills nearly 255,000 people worldwide every year;
and
WHEREAS, Asthma affects primarily children; those young people who
have a low birth weight, are black, and have been raised in a low income
environment, have the highest risk for developing the disease; among
children, boys are more likely to develop asthma than girls; however,
among adults, more women have the disease than men; and
WHEREAS, The exact cause of asthma is unknown, but researchers believe
it is a combination of factors including family genes, obesity, tobacco
smoke, allergies, and stress; common asthma triggers include dust, exer-
cise, and aspirin along with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs; and
WHEREAS, The best way to diagnose asthma is a lung function test along
with asking about the patient's family history of asthma and a physical
examination; the information gathered from this series of examinations
helps to determine the severity level of the patient; the patient's
severity level determines what treatment they will be given; and
WHEREAS, Common symptoms of asthma include wheezing, chest tightness,
shortness of breath, and coughing; coughing is often worse at night or
early in the morning, making it hard to sleep; emergency symptoms
include the lips turning a bluish color, increase in pulse rate, and a
decrease in alertness such as confusion; and
WHEREAS, Bronx County has one of the highest rates of asthma in the
United States and the death rate in Bronx County is nearly three times
higher then the national average; in some neighborhoods in Bronx County
it is estimated that twenty percent of children are diagnosed with asth-
ma; New York State has the highest pediatric asthma hospitalization rate
in the Nation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
call upon the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop a
remedial action plan to address the high incidence of asthma in the
Borough of the Bronx in the City of New York; this remedial action plan
shall provide detailed steps that can be taken to reduce the incidence
in children in Bronx County; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.