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Empowering Asthma Care: Experts Advocate For Change

In the face of urgent public health concerns such as high mortality rates and diminished quality of life, the importance of effective asthma management becomes increasingly apparent. This World Asthma Day, experts stress the need for empowerment at every stage of care.

The 2024 theme, "Asthma Education Empowers," highlights the importance of educating people about asthma. India holds the top spot for asthma prevalence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). It is alarming that 42 per cent of global asthma-related deaths occur here. Health experts stress that addressing this issue requires a comprehensive approach to asthma management, which includes raising awareness and building supportive care systems.

Dr Sheetal Chaurasiya, Consultant Pulmonologist, Bengaluru, said, "Asthma is a chronic disease. Although incurable, it can be controlled through timely diagnosis and medical intervention. However, misconceptions, especially about inhalation therapy, often lead to patients failing to follow their doctor's advice. In fact, only about 23 per cent of patients in India call their condition by its actual name, with the rest referring to it as something like a cold or cough. By increasing awareness, not only among patients but also within the broader community, we can ensure timely diagnosis and appropriate management, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for asthma patients."

Dr Sunil Kumar K, Lead Consultant-Interventional Pulmonology, Aster CMI Hospital, said that acute asthma can develop quickly and cause severe symptoms. Recognising the early signs of an attack is crucial for taking action and preventing it from worsening. "Common colds, flu, or other respiratory illnesses can exacerbate asthma. Allergens, such as dust mites, mold spores, animal dander, and exposure to irritants and chemicals, pollutants like smoke, car exhaust, and sudden weather changes, and exercise-induced asthma, can also cause symptoms and trigger asthma."

Asthma management aims to achieve optimal symptom control to prevent attacks and any impact on quality of life. "However, it's concerning that less than 9 per cent of patients use inhalation therapy. Therefore, to address these issues, a fundamental shift in how we approach asthma care in India is needed," said Dr Chaurasiya.

Sunil Kumar Aggarwal

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The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival brings together journalists, newsmakers, and innovators from around the country to talk about the issues that are animating our cultural conversations. The festival includes live recordings of television and podcasts from The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, Pushkin, NPR and PBS; as well as community meetups, meet-and-greets, food trucks, DJs, and more.

The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival will take place May 4, 2024, at the Amazon Meeting Center, 2031 Seventh Ave. Seattle, WA 98121.

Dr. Denise K. Lajimodiere

Denise is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt, North Dakota. She has been involved in education for forty-four years as an Elementary teacher, Principal, and professor, earning her Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees from University of North Dakota. Dr. Lajimodiere is a retired Associate Professor from the School of Education, Ed. Leadership program, North Dakota State University, Fargo. She is one of the founders of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (N-NABS-HC). Denise is a poet – "Dragonfly Dance"; "Thunderbird"; "Bitter Tears"; "His Feathers Were Chains"; Children's book author, "Josie Dances," and academic book author, "Stringing Rosaries: The History, The Unforgivable, The Healing of Northern Plains Boarding School Survivors." Denise was recently named as North Dakota state Poet Laureate. She is the first Native American to hold that position. Denise is a traditional Jingle Dress dancer, Ojibwe Birch Bark Biting artist, and lives in a cozy cottage by a lake on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation.

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