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8/8/2019 Catherine.asthma.final.fall10
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AsthmaA Growing Epidemic
Andrew Catherine9-8487-8026
Final Project Paper
Fall 2010
BBH 440
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Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by episodic asthma
attacks where bronchoconstriction and inflammation causes shortness of
breath, coughing, and chest tightness (Asthma: What is It?). The severity and
triggers of the attacks vary from person to person. Some individuals may
experience minor symptoms and discomfort, but others may also have
severe airway constriction that if untreated could cause death (The Global
Initiative for Asthma). Currently there is no cure for asthma ,it is a chronic
condition, but only treatment for the symptoms of asthma attacks--bronchoconstriction being reduced via the now common asthma inhaler
(CDC Asthma).
The cause of asthma is not well understood, but evidence currently
suggests that environmental and genetic factors are causal factors (Miller
and Ho) (CDC Asthma). However, there is some understanding of what
triggers the acute asthma attacks. These triggers are different for each
person, but often include: tobacco smoke, high levels of air pollution, mold,
exercise, changing weather conditions, and stress (emotional, fatigue, etc.)
(CDC Asthma). Some link between obesity and asthma (Grant, Wagner and
KB). Asthma is also thought to possibly be related to better hygiene in
todays western culture than in the past (Ramsey and Celedon).
Reason for Selection
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I am interested in investigating asthma due to its significant impact in
the healthcare system in the future. With the growing incidence and
prevalence of asthma, better understanding the epidemiology (what
segments of the population are more likely to have asthma) behind asthma
serves to better educate me as a future healthcare professional and
community member.
I am also curious about asthma since the causal factors (environmental
and genetic) and their interactions are not well understood. The large
increase in people with asthma has lead to many hypotheses as to what is
contributing to the increase. I hope to have a slightly better understanding of
which of these hypotheses makes more sense.
Importance of Asthma
Increasing incident and prevalence rates in the US and Worldwide are
placing higher demands on the healthcare system. The disease also seems
to favor middle and lower income classes, making the monetary burden high
for those who can afford it less. In the US in 2006, people visited their doctor
for asthma over 13 million times and had 444,000 admission to the hospital
for asthma (CDC Asthma). With such large demand placed on healthcare
facilities and personnel by asthma complications, any growth in these
numbers has implications in financing this medical care (which is highly
important in todays system).
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WHO information indicates that over 300 million people today are
living with asthma and that last year alone, more than a quarter of a million
people died because of the disease (WHO Asthma). Any disease that impacts
such a large proportion of the world's population has large impacts on
society. There are several global initiatives (though with less support and
fame then global HIV/AIDS and infectious disease initiatives) to try and better
understand what causes asthma and how to reduce its incidence (WHO
Asthma) (Global surveillance, prevention, and control of chronic respiratory
diseases: a comprehensive approach) (The Global Initiative for Asthma).
Asthma also has the distinction of being the most common chronic
disease in children (Akinbami). In the past century much progress has been
made combating childhood diseases making them all but a thing of the past
in the developed world, yet asthma seems to be the new childhood
experience. While asthma when properly treated is usually only annoyance,it adds additional cost and burden to families. In the developing world where
medical care is less accessible, asthma can become a death sentence for
those who have it.
Asthma also is an important opportunity to discuss whether
environmental factors that can increase risk for asthma should be addressed
(Miller and Ho). As part of the overall global warming and air pollution
debate, this increased risk of asthma is an immediate consequence of poor
air quality that is hard to dispute. As the climate changes in the future,
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asthma may become even more of a conscious public health issue that may
help promote change in climate policy.
Epidemiology-- Descriptive and Analytical
This graph (above) from CDC National Health Interview Surveys shows
that since 1980, the prevalence of asthma in children has grown (CDC
Asthma). The data shows trend in both children and lifetime diagnosis of
asthma. This supports the information on the CDCs website about the
growing numbers of asthma cases. There has been much debate and5
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thought over what is causing the rise in asthma cases. Increases in obesity
have been shown to be related to an increase in asthma prevalence. There is
also the idea that reduced exposure to diseases when a baby is leading to
higher asthma rates (the good hygiene hypothesis). Changes in air pollution
levels may also influence the incidence of asthma.
The 2008 BRFSS survey (above) shows that the prevalence of asthma
across the US is widespread and not particularly localized to one region.
Even areas with lower prevalence of asthma are not all that low compared to
numbers 30 years ago. Some localized variation on the city and town level
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do exist depending on which ethnic groups and income level segments of the
population live in one small particular area. The majority of US states now
have greater than 8.3% of the adult population living with asthma.
Geographically when care is less accessible, death from asthma
(asthma attacks) is higher than in countries with more widely available
health care. In China, South Africa, Mexico, and Russia the mortality rates for
asthma are higher since in these countries access to medical care is more
expensive and/or less prevalent. This map highlights the inequality that
exists with regard to health care, but is very important in chronic diseases
and ones that begin in children and persist for a lifetime.
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There exists very different incidence and prevalence rates for different
ethnic groups. Many more African Americas, Irish Americans, Puerto Ricans,
and Native Hawaiians have asthma in comparison with the rest of the US
population (Davis, Kreutzer and Lipsett) (Lara, Akinbami and Flores). This
seems to stem from the genetic link that increases the risk of having asthma
(Lara, Akinbami and Flores).
In addition to racial groups, asthma has been found to impact lower
income groups at higher rates than middle and high income groups. Some
research has associated the an increase in asthma to living with cockroaches
and other household pests (Asthma Triggers: Cockroaches and Pests). This
lower income also contributes to poorer management of the disease in
population segments that cannot afford the treatments for asthma (CDC
Asthma).
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Source: National Health Interview Survey; CDC National Center for Health Statistics
Asthma is a emerging (incidence is increasing more rapidly than in the
past) condition that usually presents in childhood. This explains why a larger
percentage of children have asthma than adults today but this trend will be
less pronounced in the future as todays children become adults.
Source: National Health Interview Survey; CDC National Center for Health Statistics
Asthma affects more boys than girls in childhood. However, by
adulthood, more women than men have asthma. There is no current9
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information on why this disparity exists and is another area where research
is needed.
Source: asthmablog.org
Evidence has shown that asthma attacks can be triggered by various
agents including mold, pets, dust, cockroaches, household chemicals,
exercise, and stress (Asthma Triggers: Cockroaches and Pests) (CDC
Asthma). Exactly why each of these trigger a response and not others is not
well understood. Part of asthma is related to an immune response to these
agents, and in particular immunoglobulin E levels (WHO Asthma).
Not all of these agents causes asthma in every person. Someone with
asthma may be triggered only by exercise or only by smoke. On the other
hand some else with asthma may be triggered by all of these and more
(West Virginia Asthma Education and Prevention Program). This variability
makes hard causal relations difficult to pin down.
The cause of asthma is not well understood, but evidence currently
suggests that environmental and genetic factors are causal factors. Some
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link is thought to exists between obesity and asthma. Asthma is also thought
to possibly be related to better hygiene in todays western culture than in
the past (Ramsey and Celedon). In particular, by spending a higher amount
of time indoors being exposed to indoor allergens children are thought to be
at higher risk, yet studies have shown that reducing this exposure has
mixed results (Ramsey and Celedon).
Early exposure to air pollution (studies have focused on traffic pollution
and living proximity) has been linked to an increased risk of infants
developing asthma (Miller and Ho). Used by environmentalists to try and
crack down on air pollution by demanding more regulation to try and stop
the increasing prevalence of asthma among other conditions.
Prevention
Asthma itself has no known primary prevention strategies. There can
be screening (secondary prevention) from the disease via spirometry and
lung function tests although these may always determine every case. For
long term management of severe asthma, a patient may be given steroids
(or a steroid inhaler) for daily use to prevent (or reduce the risk) of
inflammation and constriction in the lungs.
Asthma attacks do have primary and tertiary prevention activities.
Often a patient can determine what triggers these attacks and then try to
avoid these triggers (if practical). Examples of triggers include: Smoke,
Pollution, Mold, Exercise, Stress, and Weather Conditions. Additionally,11
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tertiary prevention of asthma attacks includes the use of fast acting inhalers
for acute events. These short acting inhalers used intermittently with asthma
attacks have become common.
Treatment
Asthma has no cure at this point and time. Treatments currently exist
for asthma attacks. Here a person may be given a fast acting inhaler to use
when they experience asthma (shortness of breath, chest tightness). These
inhalers quickly dilate the airway passages in the lungs to increase air
movement. In more severe patients, they may be given a steroid/long term
inhaler that they should take usually daily to help prevent constriction and
inflammation in their lungs.
One of the most important treatments is identifying the triggers for a
persons asthma attacks. Everyone has slightly different triggers and by
identifying these, a person may try and avoid exposure to them. This is a
very effective method but may not always be practical. If a person's triggers
are poor air quality and they lack the mean of moving to a place with less
pollution, more disease management with medications is necessary.
Issues and Controversies
Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine have
found \that lungs have sporadic taste receptors (Melnick). These taste
receptors act differently from those in the tongue and react only to bitter
tastes. When tasting or sensing a bitter taste they dilate the lung airway12
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passages. This interesting fact could be used as a possible treatment for
bronchoconstriction.
Tufts University epidemiologists have conducted several surveys over
the past decade and have found that the risk for US children is not the same
as the risks for children from developing countries (Tufts University Scientists
explain prevalence of asthma in US children). In the US if children are of
lower social economic status and are more exposed to household pests they
are at greater risk for asthma. This indicates that the country or area that
you grow up in has a significant effect on whether a person will develop
asthma or not.
Summary and Conclusion
Asthma is a growing US and global health issue that has large impacts
on the healthcare system. As the largest chronic disease among children
asthma stands to affect a larger and larger segment of the next generation.
Differences in asthma related death and illness exist due to healthcare
access across the world; closing the access gaps will help with the managing
of not only asthma, but other chronic diseases sparing many of pain,
suffering, and even death.
Asthma is also a contributing factor to the financing issues in
healthcare. A higher prevalence of chronic diseases such as asthma are
leading to higher costs. The strain placed on doctors, hospitals, and families
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to provide care is stressed more by trying to find ways to pay for treatment
and management.
Variations in asthma among women, children, and African Americans is
higher than other similar groups (gender, age, race) (CDC Asthma). There
are also statistics that show that asthma is more common in the lower
socioeconomic segment of the population (CDC Asthma).
More research needs to be done to find out what is behind the
increases in asthma prevalence. Also better and cheaper treatments (a cure
would be ideal) need to be found that will improve asthma management and
increase access for the affected population.
What I Learned
These series of project has expanded my knowledge on each of the
topics (AIDS, TB, and Asthma) beyond what I knew before both in terms of
the disease and the epidemiology. This series of projects was a great
compliment to the in class lectures. The epidemiology of HIV/AIDS taught me
that the incidence and prevalence of HIV is changing in different racial
groups much more radically than I thought. The projects also let me explore
a topic that I wanted to know more about and analyze that disease. I had
known that Asthma was more prevalent today then in the past, but I did not
know the extent to which this condition is growing and the costs and issues it
presents in the developed world and the developing world.
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I also found that these projects made me more familiar with online
research resources available through the library. This proficiency will serve
me well in the future on other projects and in medicine.
BibliographyAkinbami, Lara J. "The State of Childhood Asthma, United States, 1980-2005."Advanced Data. National Center for Health Statistics, 2006.
Asthma. 2010. 30 November 2010 .
Asthma Community Network. 2010. 2 December 2010.
Asthma Triggers: Cockroaches and Pests. 2010. 27 October 2010.
Asthma: What is It? September 2008. 2 December 2010.
Asthma-American Lung Association. 2010. 4 December 2010.
CDC Asthma. 2010. 2 December 2010 .
Davis, A M, et al. "Asthma prevalance in Hispanic and Asian American ethnicsubgroups: results from the California Healthy Kids Survey." Pediatrics 118.2 (2006):e363-70.
"Global surveillance, prevention, and control of chronic respiratory diseases: acomprehensive approach." WHO Report. 2007.
Grant, E N, R Wagner and Weiss KB. "Observations on emerging patterns of asthmain out society." J Allergy Clinical and Immunology 104.2 Pt 2 (1999): S1-S9.
Lara, M, et al. "Heterogeneity of childhood asthma among Hispanic children: PuertoRican children bear a disproportionate burden." Pediatrics 117.1 (2006): 43-53.
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Melnick, M. "Lungs Have Bitter Taste Receptors That May Help Treat Asthma." TimeMagazine 25 October 2010.
Miller, RL and SM Ho. "Environmental epigenetics and asthma: current concepts andcall for studies." American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 177.6
(2008): 567-573.Ramsey, CD and JC Celedon. "The hygiene hypothesis and asthma." Current Opinionin Pulmonary Medicine 11.1 (2005): 14-20.
The Global Initiative for Asthma. 2010. 2 December 2010.
"Tufts University Scientists explain prevalence of asthma in US children." 26October 2010. Medical Daily. 28 October 2010.
West Virginia Asthma Coalition. 23 November 2010. 4 December 2010.
West Virginia Asthma Education and Prevention Program. 2010. 4 December 2010.
WHO Asthma. 2010. 30 November 2010.
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