How Many New Yorkers Suffer from Asthma?
Millions of people around the world suffer from a disease such as asthma, a chronic disease, affecting the lungs and causing respiratory inflammation. In the United States, this disease affects about 16.4 million adults over the age of 18 and 7.0 million children under the age of 18. This disease can’t be completely cured, but you can learn to control it with the help of appropriate medical care and right medications.
The research, which was conducted for the purpose of a comparative analysis of asthma in the United States, and in the state of New York, showed that the rates of asthma are significantly different.
As for children, in New York in 2008 about 475.5 thousand children suffered from asthma. The prevalence of asthma throughout the life of children represented 16.1%, and the prevalence of current asthma within children represented 10.8%. These numbers were higher than those of other countries that participated in the research.
The results of the survey showed that in New York in 2008, about 1.3 milion people over the age of 18 had asthma. Thus, the rates of the prevalence of asthma among adults were 14.1%, while the rates of the current prevalence of asthma were 8.8%. These indicators were higher than those in the US.
Compared to adults aged 18-24 years in New York, the adult prevalence of asthma was the same among all age groups. But across the US this number was the higher.
Concerning women, the adult prevalence of asthma was higher than that of men in New York. The same situation was observed in the prevalence of asthma within adults in the United States.
Among children in New York the prevalence of asthma was higher among the children aged 5-9 years than the children aged 15-17 years.
In New York the rates of prevalence of asthma within children among girls and boys were similar. Nevertheless, in 38 participating countries the number was higher within boys.
If a person is suffering from asthma, he should be taken all necessary recommendations on the methods of treating asthma. The patient can receive these recommendations from his doctor.
In the manual for the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, in New York more attention is given to the aspects of asthma management, such as: patient’s education, monitoring, control of environmental factors.
It was set up, that among 304 respondents, 69% have learned to identify early asthma symptoms. 79% said that they were informed about the actions during an asthma attack. Among 313 respondents, 50% said that they were taught to use the flow-meter to correct the drug dosage. 25% of 309 respondents received a special plan of action for asthma. 11% of 312 respondents had special courses on controlling asthma.
As for the medication use, 65% of the 305 respondents in New York took the drugs according to the doctor's prescription.