Asthma Case Study

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According to Child trends, “In 2015, 11 percent of children in poor families had asthma, compared with 9 percent of children in families that were near-poor, and 7 percent of children in families that had incomes of at least twice the federal poverty level. The factors that have been linked to an increased risk for asthma are low birth weight, exposure to antibiotics during the first year of life, use of acetaminophen, being overweight, exposure to community violence, having a parent with major depression, maternal exposure to intimate partner violence, and maternal exposure to high levels of magnetic fields. Additionally, many studies have linked exposure to air pollution and secondhand smoke to asthma incidence in children. None of these, …show more content…

According to The Northwest Times, “In 2013, Gary’s homicide rate was 53 per capita (53 per 100,000 residents) died by homicide” (NWI, 2013). The reason for this high number is largely due to gang retaliatory violence in the community. According to the University of Southern California’s Center for Health Journalism, the infant mortality rate as of 2016 in Gary is “8.5 infants per every 1,000 live births.” (UShC Annenburg, 2016). Infant mortality rates are largely due to the health conditions of the pregnant mothers which is why prenatal visits are so important for mothers to ensure the health of not only themselves, but the health of their fetus. There are clinics and a planned parenthood located in Gary that are available for families to use. Out of the thirty clinics in Gary, there is one for physical therapy, dentistry, mental health, family counseling and a wellness center. It appears that the resources are there for people to take advantage of if they choose to use them. Being able to have a community that ensures the health of infants is crucial for a society to thrive. However, in this population, infants’ health is largely affected by the amount of air pollution. With the surrounding steel mills and factories, the residents of Gary have no choice, but to breathe in the

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