Action needed to help asthma sufferers

Urgent action is needed to reduce the impact of asthma on Northlanders according to one of the country’s leading experts on the disease.

A recent report showed the incidence of asthma in Northland is among the highest in the country with the disease killing around 20 and hospitalising more than 300 Northlanders each year.

The report also found significant socioeconomic differences in asthma hospitalisation with rates 3.7 times higher among those living in poverty.

Asthma is an inflammatory respiratory condition which causes sensitivity of the airways. The disease is characterised by symptoms of shortness of breath and wheezing and can be exacerbated during cold and flu season.

Recent data from the Impact of Respiratory Disease in New Zealand report says asthma prevalence of Northland’s children is over 19 per cent - almost 5 per cent higher than the national average.

The report called for the urgent introduction of new programmes to reduce the severe ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in res- piratory diseases.

Associate Professor Jim Reid from Otago University welcomed the report’s findings and says Kiwis are far too relaxed when it comes to dealing with asthma and its symptoms.

Reid says more research is needed to understand why New Zealand has such a high rate of asthma and also to explain why some children seem to grow out of the disease.

He says the incidence of asthma is particularly high among Maori and Pacific Island communities and those living in poverty.

‘‘I think because asthma is so common, people have become a bit cavalier about it, it seems like every kid on the block has it, so it tends to get minimised, but last year 70 people died from asthma,’’ he says.

’’There are few asthma symptoms that can’t be controlled so it’s important that people suffering get diagnosed and treated.’’

Reid says the key to getting the nation’s asthma burden under control is a simple Asthma Control Test (ACT) carried out at a doctor’s surgery or pharmacy.

He says it allows GPs and pharmacists to assess patients with a score that shows what level of control they have over their symptoms.