New Haven, Conn. -- The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, part of the Yale School of Medicine, will soon begin work on a study of complementary care for mild to moderate asthma.

Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the study is designed to assess the effects of lifestyle interventions, such as stretching, breathing exercises or yoga, in the management of asthma.

"Asthma is a very common condition," said principal investigator David Katz, M.D., associate clinical professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Yale School of Medicine. "Most people with asthma are bothered by symptoms even when using appropriate medications. We believe that combining appropriate use of medication with complementary therapies may lead to better control of symptoms."

Asthma affects about 12 million American adults. Each year, 1.8 million emergency room visits and 10 million doctor's office visits are associated with asthma, resulting in an estimated cost of $11.3 billion.

According to the Connecticut State Department of Public Health, almost 10 percent of Connecticut adults reported having asthma. "It is interesting to note that in Connecticut, asthma sufferers appear almost equally among all strata of the population," said Katz, who is director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. "Wealthy, poor, urban, suburban, and all racial and ethnic groups can be affected."

The study will be open to adults with mild to moderate asthma.

All participants will receive expert evaluation and free intervention. For more information or to participate in the study, please contact Alyse Behrman at the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center at 732-1265, or cats@yalegriffinprc.org.

From Healthy.net