World Asthma Day Research Articles

Keeping Safe: Supporting young people’s mental health

This month marks the birthday of Florence Nightingale, and so the International Nurses Day. We also see World Asthma day and National Smile Month approaching, along with Tampon Alert Week and a Bug Busting Day, offering plenty of opportunities to advise young people about their health. As a recent survey has shown that many teenagers are depressed, it is even more important to provide support.

News

Breathe easy: to mark World Asthma Day on May 1, Asthma UK is launching an emergency asthma care resource for healthcare professionals. The materials show the process of care from when someone with asthma first presents, through to their follow-up arrangements and return home. The resource contains guidance on evidence based standards of emergency asthma care, no matter where care is provided, templates to adapt to individual settings, training slides and patient information booklets. It will be sent to around 20,000 key healthcare professionals, including A&E and ambulance staff, across the UK, but it will also be available to download from www.asthma.org.uk.

Asthma UK resources better symptom control

Asthma UK launched its new identity on World Asthma Day, 4 May, with a report revealing the experience of living with severe asthma. Louise Fitzsimons explains

World Asthma Day is Tuesday, May 4!

World Asthma Day is Tuesday, May 4!

Assessment of access to specialized asthma care in the third world country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Rationale The incidence of asthma cases presenting to the Emergency Department and District Clinics of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has risen four-fold over the last decade. The Asthma Clinic receives referrals primarily from these sources. This ongoing study sought to identify individuals who may have asthma who have not been evaluated in the Asthma Clinic. Methods Participants of World Asthma Day, conducted in Kingstown's Open-Market, were asked to respond to a self-report questionnaire of asthma symptoms. All subjects were consented. Results Of 48 individuals (mean age 28 years, 59% female) completing the questionnaire, none reported a previous evaluation in the Asthma Clinic. Seventy-three percent reported having physician-diagnosed asthma. Of these, 54% reported repeated episodes of cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing in the last month, 76% reported nocturnal episodes, 57% reported exertional symptoms, and 62% reported missed school or work days over the past year due to asthma. Of the 27% not diagnosed with asthma, 100% reported repeated episode of cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing in the previous two years, 10% reported having been diagnosed with bronchitis, and 64% reported nocturnal and daytime symptoms over the past month, with 45% reporting medication use for these symptoms. All subjects requested an appointment with the Asthma Clinic. Conclusion The Asthma Clinic in St. Vincent is underutilized. World Asthma Day was a successful vehicle to educate and motivate those with asthma symptoms to seek care. Further studies are required to assess barriers to accessing care in the Asthma Clinic.

World Asthma Day, May 6, 2003

World Asthma Day, May 6, 2003