Asthma

Question 1

Define: asthma

Answer 1

condition characterised by inflammation of the airways in response to certain triggers

Question 2

examples of triggers?

Answer 2

• Triggers include pollen, pet hair, cigarette smoke, physical activity, colds and flue.

Question 3

what happens when exposed to triggers

Answer 3

asthma attack

Question 4

what happens during an asthma attack

Answer 4

o Muscle surrounding airways tightens,, mucus builds up, and airway lining becomes swollen and red.
o People struggle to fill their lungs, might cough and wheeze, and find it hard to breathe.

Question 5

asthma attacks can lead to

Answer 5

respiratory arrest (when a person stops breathing)

Question 6

is there a cure?

Answer 6

no

Question 7

how is it managed?

Answer 7

by reliever - eg. ventolin

Question 8

when does asthma occur?

Answer 8

any life stage, most likely childhood.

Question 9

why is asthma an nhpa?

Answer 9

• Contributes significantly to burden of disease (particularly YLD, as it has a low mortality rate but can cause significant disability)
• Contribute significant cost to both individuals and communities: often requires hospitalisation and medications (Ventolin)

Question 10

direct costs to indv?

Answer 10

• Ambulance transport for asthma attacks/respiratory arrest
• Patient co-payments for Ventolin and other medications
• Potential patient co-payments for doctor/specialist services

Question 11

indirect costs to comm?

Answer 11

• Medicare contribution doctor/specialist appointments
• PBS contributions for essential medicines eg. Ventolin
• Funding for health promotion programs eg. The Sensitive Choice program

Question 12

indirect csots to indv?

Answer 12

• Lost income

* Cost of carers (esp for young children and older adults)

Question 13

intangible costs to comm?

Answer 13

• Loss of productivity
• Lost tax revenue
o Due to parents staying home from work to look after sick kids.

Question 14

intangible costs to indv?

Answer 14

• Stress of having asthma attacks, and increased anxiety of attacks become more frequent/severe than ususal
• Missing school
• Frustration at not being able to participate in physical/social activities (like scuba diving, school sport)

Question 15

intangible costs to comm?

Answer 15

• Stress and anxiety for family and friends of young children/elderly (esp if they live alone)

Question 16

behavioural dets?

Answer 16

Tobacco smoking

• Generally increases risk of asthma

Question 17

social dets?

Answer 17

Low SES
• More likely
• Due to higher smoking rates, increased exposure to environmental tobacco smoke
Early life experiences
• If mother smokes during pregnancy/infancy, child is esp. likely to develop it.

Question 18

phsyical environment dets?

Answer 18

Air quality
•	Air pollution is a risk factor
Work environment 
•	Exposure to pollutants increases risk
Housing
•	Inadequate ventilation  increase indoor pollution  increase asthma risk
Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke

Question 19

biological dets?

Answer 19

Body weight
•	Higher risk of developing asthma
Genetic predisposition 
•	Increased chance if family members have
Sex
•	Up to age 15, males more likely to develop asthma
Age 
•	Most common for 0-24 year olds

Question 20

health promotion program?

Answer 20

the sensitive choice program

Question 21

who?

Answer 21

developed and implemented by the NACA, ran in conjunction with NZAF.

Question 22

aims?

Answer 22

 Encourage manufacturers to produce producst with low irritant/allergy risk
 Enable consumers to identify products with low risk of triggering asthma/allergies, and to improve their health in this way.

Question 23

how?

Answer 23

 Manufacturers submit product to the Product Advisary Panel of the NACA
 NACA will accept if it has low irritant/allergy risk. If accepted, manufacturers pay a fee to use the Sensitive Choice logo in advertising.
 Consumers see the label (indicating low irritant/allergy content, leading to reduce risk of asthma symptoms and allergic reactions) – enabling them to make choices to protect wellbeing.