Kick Asthma: Webinar Series - Asthma Disparities in the United States

Presentation Objectives:

• Describe past and present trends in asthma disparities in the United States
• Identify causes of asthma disparities
• Discuss the possible role of stress as a causal agent in asthma disparities

This presentation will discuss past and present trends in asthma disparities in the United States, possible causes for asthma disparities, and the role of stress.

Molly Martin, MD, MAPP, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and a Fellow in the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Martin is an established leader in the fields of behavioral intervention design and testing, especially as they relate to community health workers (CHWs). She is also active in local and national policy efforts that target health disparities. Her research focuses on community models to improve health, specifically the CHW model. She is particularly interested in asthma, oral health and obesity in children. Dr. Martin has been the principal investigator on multiple NIH-funded projects that test community-based interventions targeting these conditions. She serves on the Board of the Chicago Asthma Consortium. Dr. Martin was a member of the State of Illinois Community Health Worker Advisory Board which developed recommendations for the community health worker workforce requirements in Illinois and on the Executive Committee for Community Health Worker Section of the American Public Health Association. As a complement to her research, Dr. Martin sees patients in the Mile Square Health Center and participates in resident and student education.