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Asthma case study essay
Treatment of asthma research paper
Asthma case study essay
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Introduction Asthma is chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by recurring episodes of wheeling and breathlessness. It often exists with allergies and can be worsened through exposure to allergens. In fact, asthma is complicated syndromes that have neither single definition nor complete explanation to the point. In light of its treatment, it is worthwhile to notice that asthma cannot be cured, instead can be only managed by avoiding exposure to allergens and/or by using medications regularly. Asthma is also a serious public health issue because it imposes huge impact not only population but also health care systems. According to recent statistics, each year, 5000 deaths, half million hospitalizations, and two million emergency visits are solely explained by asthma [1]. It is also leading cause of absence from school and work. Economic impact is enormous, too. 11 billion dollars of cost was due to only medications of asthma in 1994 [2], which was later increased up to 14 billion dollars in 2002 [3], and still increasing. Unfortunately, this financial burden of asthma falls disproportionately to some vulnerable subgroups: minorities, and children. The purposes of this paper are 1) to identify the disparity of asthmatic burden for racial minorities, especially for minority children, 2) to analyze determinants that cause the disparity, and 3) to propose available policy options to overcome the disparity. Disparity of asthmatic burden Asthmatic burden can be defined in various ways. In this paper, prevalence of asthma, mortality due to asthma, and rates of health care use from asthma are used as primary dimensions of the asthmatic burden. Prevalence did not show much disparity among black, Hispanic, and white pe... ... middle of paper ... ...:e214-20 25. George M, Freedman TG, Norfleet AL, Feldman HI, Apter AJ. Qualitative research-enhanced understanding of patients' beliefs: results of focus groups with low-income, urban, African American adults with asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003 May;111(5):967-73. 26. Pachter, L. M., Cloutier, M. M., & Bernstein, B. A. (1995). Ethnomedical (folk) remedies for childhood asthma in a mainland Puerto Rican community. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 149(9), 982. 27. Luder, E., Melnik, T. A., & DiMaio, M. (1998). Association of being overweight with greater asthma symptoms in inner city black and Hispanic children. The Journal of pediatrics, 132(4), 699-703. 28. Ford ME, Havstad SL, Tilley BC, Bolton MB. Health outcomes among African American and Caucasian adults following a randomized trial of an asthma education program. Ethn Health 1997 Nov;2(4):329-39
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. It is a reversible airway obstruction, occurring 8 to 10% of the population worldwide. According to a study in 2005, asthma affects over 15 million Americans, with more than 2 million annual emergency room visits. Asthma patients have a hyper-responsiveness in their airways and generally and increase in their airway smooth muscle cell mass. This hyperplasia is due to the normal response to the injury and repair to the airway caused by exacerbations. The main choice of therapy for asthma patients is β2- adrenergic agonists. Racemic albuterol has been the drug of choice for a short acting bronchodilator for a long time, but since the development of levalbuterol, there is the question of which drug is a better choice for therapy. Efficacy and cost of treatment must both be taken into consideration in each study of these therapies to determine which is best for the treatment of asthma.
Large disparities exist between minorities and the rest of Americans in major areas of health. Even though the overall health of the nation is improving, minorities suffer from certain diseases up to five times more than the rest of the nation. President Clinton has committed the nation to eliminating the disparities in six areas of health by the Year 2010, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be jumping in on this huge battle. The six areas are: Infant Mortality, Cancer Screening and Management, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, HIV Infection and AIDS, and Child and Adult Immunizations.
Jewelll, N., & Russell, K. (1992). Current health status of african americans. Journal of community health nursing, 9(3), 161-169.
The most common environmental, individual, and agent factors that increase the risk of this serious childhood health problem are obesity, exposure to secondhand smoke, and hospitalization with pneumonia. In the United States, “the prevalence of childhood asthma has increased from 3.5% in 1980 to 9.6% in 2009” and “according to a recent nationwide survey targeting 0-to 17-year-olds in the USA, nearly 25% and 13% were obese and diagnosed with asthma respectively” (Liu, Kieckhefer, & Gau, 2013). According to t...
Therefore, considering these issues is an impediment when discussing the disparities in health. Some minorities are disadvantaged in the current healthcare while some are not. However, it is complicated to identify reasons for inequalities because health outcome is a result of numerous interactions with factors including the individual’s access to care, the quality of care provided, health behaviors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, the presence or absence of complicating conditions, and personal attitudes toward health and medicine. Therefore, Examining existing racial and ethnic issues, developing potential solutions for current disparities, and preparing for future challenges as shifts in trends emerge are essential aspects of health care improvements” (Boslaugh,
Rance, K. Laughlen, M. (April, 2011). Obesity and asthma: A dangerous link in children. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. Volume 7, Issues 4, p. 287-292. Retrieved 12/12/2013, from http://www.npjournal.org/article/S1555-4155(10)00358-2/fulltext
Currently 24 million Americans of all ages have the chronic illness asthma. The prevalence of asthma has increased from 7.3% (20.3 million persons) in 2001 to 8.2% (24.6 million persons) in 2009, a 12.3% increase (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2011). In 2009, the prevalence of asthma was greater among children (9.6%) than adults (7.7%), and was particularly high among boys (11.3%) and non-Hispanic black children (17.0%) (CDC, 2011). Among all children, the asthma rate significantly increased during 2001-2009 from 8.7% to 9.6%, with...
Williams, D. R., & Jackson, P. (2014, April 1). Health Affairs. Social Sources Of Racial Disparities In Health. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/24/2/325.short
Newcomb, P. (2010). Using symptom management theory to explain how nurse practitioners care for children with asthma. Journal of Theory Construction & Testing , 14(2), 40-44.
Most of you may not think of asthma as a killer disease, yet more that 5,000 Americans die of asthma each year. According to the Mayo Clinic web page, asthma also accounts for more that 400,000 hospital discharges annually. As the number of people with asthma increases, the more likely you are to come in contact with a person who has the disease. As far as I can remember, I have had asthma my whole life. My mother and one of my sisters also have asthma, so I have a first hand experience with it. This morning, I will discuss some interesting facts about asthma, I will specifically focus on what it is, warning signs, symptoms, causes, and the treatments that are used.
Despite the substantial developments in diagnostic and treatment processes, there is convincing evidence that ethnic and racial minorities normally access and receive low quality services compared to the majority communities (Lum, 2011). As such, minority groups have higher mortality and morbidity rates arising from both preventable and treatable diseases judged against the majority groups. Elimination of both racial and ethnic disparities is mainly politically sensitive, but plays an important role in the equitable access of services, including the health care ones without discrimination. In addition, accountability, accessibility, and availability of equitable health care services are crucial for the continually growing
A visit to your doctor may certainly seem like an evidence-based medicine: certain symptoms and tests yield a diagnosis, and that diagnosis in combination with your individual history leads to a treatment plan. Yet there is still room for wild amounts of variation—the reliance on the individual experience of healthcare providers means that a cluster of symptoms may signal a different diagnosis to different doctors, and due in part to the fee-for-service model in American medicine, doctors may be rewarded for ordering tests that are redundant or unnecessary. Even in the presence of strong evidence, compliance with guidelines isn’t all that high: four years after the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute issued guidelines for the treatment of asthma in 1991, only 45.5% of those surveyed were aware of the guidelines, and only 24% had gone so far as to read
People who are suffering from asthma and allergies often do not know that they themselves are having it until the asthma attack and allergies strike. Therefore, if you feel that you could be down with asthma, you should go for a check up immediately. Tests and procedures will be carried out to ascertain the diagnosis. The type of diagnostic studies that the doctors carry out depends on the results of your physical examination and your medical history.
Asthma is a disease that currently has no cure and can only be controlled and managed through different treatment methods. If asthma is treated well it can prevent the flare up of symptoms such as coughing, diminish the dependence on quick relief medication, and help to minimize asthma attacks. One of the key factors to successful treatment of asthma is the creation of an asthma action plan with the help of a doctor that outlines medications and other tasks to help control the patient’s asthma ("How Is Asthma Treated and Controlled?"). The amount of treatment changes based on the severity of the asthma when it is first diagnosed and may be the dosage may be increased or decreased depending on how under control the patient’s asthma is. One of the main ways that asthma can be controlled is by becoming aware of the things that trigger attacks. For instance staying away from allergens such as pollen, animal fur, and air pollution can help minimize and manage the symptoms associated with asthma. Also if it is not possible to avoid the allergens that cause a patient’s asthma to flare up, they may need to see an allergist. These health professionals can help diagnosis what may need to be done in other forms of treatment such as allergy shots that can help decrease the severity of the asthma ("How Is Asthma Treated and Controlled?").
Christchurch City Health Profile (2012). Asthma. Christchurch Health and Wellbeing Profile Papers. Retrieved from http://www.healthychristchurch.org.nz/media/22930/asthma.pdf