non communicable : asthma

• Asthma is a non-communicable long-term disease that involves the narrowing of airways, reducing airflow and causing symptoms such as wheezing, breathlessness, coughing, and chest tightness.
• The common symptoms of asthma include:

  • wheezing
  • breathlessness
  • coughing

  chest tightening.
• Asthma attacks are brief periods when asthma symptoms worsen, potentially leading to severe versions of the previous symptoms, faster heartbeat, drowsiness, confusion, exhaustion, fainting, or blue lips and fingers.
• asthma affects more than 300 million people worldwide - 11.6% of children are 6 to 7 years old
• in 2015 asthma resulted in 455,000 deaths around the world
• less developed countries have lower prevalence of asthma because of

  • less urbanisation compared to LICs
  • increased rates of obesity in HIC
  • increased levels of pollution in HIC
• triggers for asthma:

  • strenuous exercise
  • person's job - chemical fumes , dust and gases from manufacturing and factory jobs
  • respiratory illnesses - affects lungs breathing ability , increases risk of asthma attack
• acid refluxes , some medicines and food additives , smoking and air pollutants which block up the lungs and make it difficult to breathe properly
• socio-economic factors affecting chances of developing asthma:

  • smoking is high in NEEs and HICS as people can afford to buy luxury items - vaping on the rise
  • cars burning fossil fuels and gases released in factories , industrial revolution
  • air pollution HIGH in LICs