People in deprived areas ‘more likely to end up in A&E with asthma attack’

PEOPLE living in the most deprived areas are three times more likely to end up in accident and emergency with asthma attacks than those in the wealthiest areas, according to new analysis.

Asthma + Lung UK Scotland said that people from the poorest areas of Scotland account for nearly a third of all emergency admissions to hospital for asthma.

The charity said it is shocking that people are “fighting for breath” because of where they live and is calling for lung health to be made a priority in plans to tackle health inequalities.

For its research, Asthma + Lung UK Scotland analysed data on asthma emergency admissions by

Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile.

It found that between January 2017 and September 2021, 32.7% of emergency admissions for asthma in Scotland were from the poorest quintile, while 11.6% were from the wealthiest quintile.

Meanwhile, its 2021 annual asthma survey found that only 25% of people in Scotland are receiving basic asthma care – the lowest level since it began collecting data in 2013.

Joseph Carter, head of Asthma and Lung UK Scotland, said: “It is shocking that people with asthma in Scotland are fighting for breath, having life-threatening asthma attacks and repeated trips to hospital because of where they live.

“Everyone should be entitled to basic asthma care such as a yearly check-up and help using their inhaler so they can manage their condition.

“These statistics highlight the need to make lung health a priority in plans to tackle health inequalities, given its significant role in fuelling poor health outcomes in Scotland.

“In particular, we need a focus on prevention, including plans to driving down smoking rates and reducing air pollution and targeted awareness campaigns for the communities that need it most.”

Asthma and Lung UK Scotland will discuss health inequality with MSPs at Holyrood today, when the charity will be hosting an event led by its chief executive Sarah Woolnough and Mr Carter, with guest clinician Dr Tom Fardon and patient Linda McLeod.