Define: inflammation of the airways which
causes them to narrow and leads to
difficulty in breathing.
begin at any stage in life but most likely to develop in childhood
No cure but can be
controlled by a reliever
such as Ventolin
Attacks can be severe and cause
respiratory arrests resulting in
hospitalisation and sometimes death.
It is an NHPA b/c it is responsible for 2.3% of
BOD, suffered by 2.5 million, most commonly
reported long term condition and one of the most
frequent reasons for hospitalisation with significant
treatment costs.
Costs
Direct
Individuals
health services
medication
ambulance
community
medicare/PHI/PBS
health initiatives
Indirect
Individuals
lost income
cost of carers
Community
lost productivity
lost tax revenue
children miss school
Parents productivity and financial costs
Intangible
Individuals
missing school
Increased anxiety if
attacks are frequent
Frustration because you cant participate in physical activity
Community
anxiety by parents with young asthma suffers
Anxiety if suffered by elderly and they live alone
Determinants
Biological
Excess body weight
overweight = high risk
Genetic Predisposition
family history more likely
Gender
males more likely up to age of 15
Age
common in those 1-24 yo
Behavioural
Tobacco Smoke
exposure to uterus may lead to increase asthma in the bab
smoking increases rates of asthma
Physical Environment
Air quality
Major cities and industrial areas at an increased risk
Work Environment
exposure to pollutants can increase the risk
Environmental Tobacco Smoke
Second hand smoke is risk factor for young children
Housing
inadequate ventilation may increase the pollution
and risk of asthma for people living in the house
Social
Socioeconomic Status
more likely to have asthma
Higher smoking rates and increased exposure to environmental tobacco smoke
Early Life Experiences
Mothers who smoke in the womb may elevate child’s risk
Health Promotion
Asthma Friendly Schools program
aims to reduce exposure to potential triggers
in schools and provide education on how to
manage asthma
National Asthma Council
Triple A program
facilitates peer
education to reduce
the impact asthma
has on young suffers