NLRC Awarded $500,000 Grant to Combat Asthma

NLRC Awarded $500,000 Grant to Combat AsthmaThe National Latino Research Center (NLRC) has received a two-year,  $505,000 grant from The California Endowment for Community Action to Fight Asthma (CAFA), a coalition seeking to shape local, regional, and state policies to reduce environmental triggers of asthma among school-aged children. Arcela Nuñez-Alvarez, interim director of the center, will be principal investigator.“Our participation in this project is contributing to reduce the burden of asthma by promoting broader environmental health and justice in communities throughout the state,” said Nuñez-Alvarez. “Our focus on the US-Mexico border region is especially critical given the health and environmental disparities that are prevalent in communities like Imperial County.”Asthma affects 4.8 million children nationwide and accounts for one-third of all pediatric emergency visits.  It is widely recognized that environmental factors play a major role in asthma morbidity. In California, one in ten children suffers from asthma, affecting nearly 1.2 million children in the state and costing $480 million a year in hospital stays alone.The NLRC is an applied research center specializing in research, training, technical assistance and research-based services that contribute to the knowledge and understanding of the rapidly growing U.S. Latino population.For more information regarding the project, contact the NLRC at (760) 750-3500 or email nlrc@csusm.edu.