Threats to Asthma Care in California: The Impact of Federal Budget Cuts Under the Trump Administration

In California's Imperial Valley—an area characterized by high asthma rates, poor air quality, and environmental challenges—families like Esther Bejarano's have experienced firsthand how environmental and policy factors influence health outcomes. When her 11-month-old son was hospitalized due to an asthma attack, she suspected pesticides from nearby agricultural fields as a trigger. The region, known for winter crops, heavily relies on pesticides that contribute to asthma prevalence and hospital visits among children.

Bejarano now manages her son's asthma with education and community support through the Comite Civico del Valle, a local organization focused on environmental justice. The organization trains healthcare workers to educate families on proper asthma management, helping prevent hospitalizations and reducing exposure to triggers. However, these vital programs face an uncertain future due to federal budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration, including layoffs, grant cancellations, and reductions in funding at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Asthma experts warn that such cutbacks could lead to increased emergency room visits and fatalities, especially among children and vulnerable, low-income communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Asthma Control Program, which provides significant funding and collects crucial data on asthma prevalence and outcomes, is at risk of being shut down. This program not only funds local initiatives like Bejarano's but also helps save money by reducing healthcare costs—an estimated $71 for every dollar invested—and has contributed to a 44% drop in asthma-related deaths since 1999.

The loss of data collection and federal support would hinder healthcare providers' ability to develop effective treatment plans, especially in asthma 'hotspots' like Fresno, California, where high rates of emergency visits and deaths occur. Moreover, these programs often serve minority and marginalized populations disproportionately affected by asthma due to living conditions near highways and pollution sources.

Environmental and health advocates emphasize that asthma is largely preventable and manageable, and current federal funding supports community and place-based interventions that improve lives. Conversely, proposed budget cuts threaten to roll back progress and leave many communities without essential resources and accurate data. As experts and local organizations advocate for continued support, they stress that the health of millions of Americans, especially children and underserved populations, depends on maintaining these programs.

source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-dusty-corner-california-trump-threatened.html