Non-Communicable Disease (AQA A Level Geography)

Prevalence & Distribution of Asthma

Prevalence and Distribution of Asthma

• Asthma is a non-communicable (non-infectious) chronic (long-term) lung disease found in all countries of the world

• It affects both children and adults, and is the most common chronic disease among children

• Prevalence means the proportion of a population who have a specific characteristic in a given time period

  • World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows asthma affected an estimated 262 million people in 2019 and caused 455,000 deaths

  • Relatively low mortality rate - responsible for less than 1% of worldwide deaths each year

  • Used to be more prevalent in HICs but deaths from asthma in low and lower-middle income countries now much greater

    • Highest death rate from asthma in HIC is in UAE at 10 deaths per 100,000 of population in 2020

    • Highest death rate in low and lower-middle income countries is in Kiribati at 75 deaths per 100,000 in 2020

  • 14% of children globally suffer from asthma

  • Also prevalent in the 75-79 age group

• Distribution refers to the pattern of health events in a population

Asthma & its Impact

Impact of Environment on Asthma

• It is difficult to find a single, direct cause of asthma but there seem to be various physical and socio-economic triggers

• Physical or environmental triggers include:

  • Cold and damp air

  • Allergens and irritants such as air pollution, pollen, house dust mites, moulds, and exposure to chemicals, fumes or dust in the workplace

  • Time of year - allergens such as pollen more common in summer months

  • Events in early childhood that affect the developing lungs

    • Low birth weight

    • Prematurity

    • Exposure to tobacco smoke 

    • Other sources of air pollution

    • Viral respiratory infections

• Socio-economic triggers include:

  • Lifestyle choices. There are links between increased asthma cases and:

    • Obesity - studies of diet in children have shown that teenagers eating three or more servings of fast food are 39% more likely to develop severe asthma                                                

    • Psychological stress

    • Smoking 

    • Hygiene - asthma has reduced in more affluent countries where sanitation levels have increased

• Genetics. Asthma more common in children whose family members have the disease

• Links to other allergic conditions such as hayfever and eczema

• Living in urban areas where air quality is poorer

Impact of Asthma on Health and Well-Being

• Although fewer people die from asthma than from many other diseases, it still has severe impacts on people’s quality of life and their well-being

• Asthma attacks cause shortness of breath and coughing as the bronchial tubes in the lungs are restricted

• If attacks are not treated they can lead to death

• Asthma is a lifetime burden as it starts to take effect in younger age-groups than in other chronic conditions such as heart disease

• Asthma sufferers can be less productive at school and work, so educational and career outcomes can be hampered

• The impacts of asthma affect all countries but are most severe in LICs and low-middle income countries as diagnosis and treatments are often less widespread and effective in less affluent regions

• Ethnicity appears to be a factor

  • Mortality amongst African Americans in US is three times higher than amongst white populations

  • Correlates strongly with areas of poverty, particularly in urban areas with poor air quality and less effective healthcare 

• Treatment of the disease costs governments

  • In the UK £1 billion is spent annually by the NHS on asthma care and treatment

  • Asthma is one of the leading causes of work absenteeism in US 

    • Direct and indirect costs to the US economy have been estimated at more than $50 billion per year

Management & Mitigation of Asthma

Management & Mitigation of Asthma

• Mitigation means reducing the severity, seriousness, or harmfulness of something