Introduction
One of the most prevalent serious, not transmissible illnesses, asthma, significantly lowers the level of life for many people. Asthma is the 16th most common cause of years spent with a disability and the 28th most common source of disease burden worldwide (Dharmage et al., 2019). The incidence, seriousness, and mortality of asthma vary significantly geographically. While the prevalence of asthma is higher in nations with higher incomes, countries with low or middle incomes contribute to the majority of asthma-related fatalities (Dharmage et al., 2019). Despite recent improvements in asthma therapy, there remains the opportunity for progress in individual patient education, the implementation of innovative methods for diagnosis, and the application of individualized management of cases (Dharmage et al., 2019). It allows assuming that there is a critical need to inform the population about the causes, characteristics, and treatment of asthma to prevent fatalities.
Discussion
Asthma and allergies frequently combine, which allows stating that allergies trigger the development of this disease. The identical elements that cause allergic rhinitis symptoms, also known as hay fever, including dust mites, pollen, and animal dander, may cause an increase in asthma-related symptoms (The Mayo Clinic, 2021). Some individuals can develop asthma-related symptoms due to dermatitis or allergies to foods. When proteins produced by the immune system, also called antibodies, incorrectly label a harmless substance as the cause of the allergic reaction (The Mayo Clinic, 2021). Antibodies attach to the allergen to shield the immune system from the allergen. The immune system’s release of chemicals causes allergy symptoms and indications, including runny nose, eye irritation, and rashes on the skin (The Mayo Clinic, 2021). Some individuals experience the same effect in their lungs and airways, which causes symptoms of asthma (The Mayo Clinic, 2021). Therefore, there is a direct connection between asthma and allergic reactions, even though it is not the only trigger of the illness.
Since the 1900s, the views on the factors leading to asthma attacks have changed significantly. Asthma was addressed primarily as a sickness of “bronchospasm” and treated in a way that allowed patients to decrease the number of these symptoms in the first half of the 20th century (Doyle, 2000). Nevertheless, this approach led to many deaths due to the general availability of serious drugs as non-prescription medication and their intrinsic effectiveness in treating bronchospasm (Doyle, 2000). The epidemic of fatalities from asthma recorded in Australia, the US, and the UK peaked in the mid-1960s caused by treatment with isoprenaline (Doyle, 2000). There was a second crisis in New Zealand in the second half of the 1980s that was believed to be caused by the overuse of fenoterol-related medications (Doyle, 2000). Therefore, the treatment of asthma that was regarded as the traditional and safe approach was dangerous.
Although widespread inflammation and structural changes in the airways have been linked to asthma death since the early 1920s, not much has been discovered about the underlying causes or how they relate to episodic breathing difficulties. Asthma was primarily treated as an acute condition characterized by episodic exacerbations before finding the connection between allergy and asthma in 1921 (Doyle, 2000). The current view on the effect of allergens on the mediator release of chemicals in the airway mast cells was articulated in the 1980s (Doyle, 2000). It states that the modern perspective on this diagnosis is centered around the allergic cause of asthma.
The number of people diagnosed with asthma has increased significantly during the last decades. Vietnam, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and China have the lowest percentages of asthma prevalence globally (Asher et al., 1998). Greater urbanization, a westernized lifestyle, higher rates of obesity, and air pollution may all contribute to the greater incidence of obesity seen in more industrialized countries, including the United States and Great Britain (Asher et al., 1998). Therefore, the countries where individuals with asthma prevail are developed industrial states, but the level of public health, including obesity and related risks, is also vital. It is possible to explain the emerging asthma epidemic as the increasing number of allergens and pollutants in the air, which harms the human immune system (Asher et al., 1998). In addition, the urbanization of the society in these countries leads to other health issues that harm immunity, which is the widespread reason why people experience more troubles with their physical state.
Epidemiology is the academic, structured, and fact-based investigation into the distribution of diseases, including their frequency, determinants like their causes and risk factors, and events associated with health in particular groups. To identify the causes of public health problems, the proper responses, measures, and answers, epidemiologists conduct analysis (Dharmage et al., 2019). Epidemiologists can monitor illness and anticipate its manifestations using research and statistical methods. There are various methods to describe the incidence of asthma (Dharmage et al., 2019). When evaluating the findings of this research, it is critical to consider this aspect.
Even though point prevalence is the most straightforward method to assess the frequency, it will probably understate the population’s exposure to asthma. The common controversy is an issue with lifetime prevalence, while period prevalence, typically within the preceding twelve-month period, is the most widely recognized measurement (Dharmage et al., 2019). There have been reports of increased asthma prevalence globally, but this apparent trend is still a question for discussion. Different levels of disease knowledge among healthcare professionals and families, changes in the availability of medical care, and additional variables may result in differences in prevalence (Dharmage et al., 2019). Depending on the definition used and the questions addressed by the study group, the incidence of asthma can differ significantly within a given population.
The website of CDC describes the National Asthma Control Program with the number of agencies that fund fighting asthma in various states. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology is one of them, and it focuses on working with patients with different immunity system disorders, including asthma and allergies (AAAAI, 2023). This information shows that the modern approach to asthma treatment is connected with the notion of the immune system, which allows healthcare professionals to reduce harm to patients.
Conclusion
The patterns and environmental factors responsible for adult and childhood asthma are comparable. Even though it has decreased in some high-income countries, the asthma epidemic is still widespread worldwide, particularly in nations with low or middle incomes where people have limited access to healthcare. Although epidemiological studies have identified some significant environmental triggers for asthma, little is known about how environmental factors contribute to the disease’s development. Further research into the intricate processes underlying the interaction between environmental and genetic variables is essential to determine high-risk populations and significant modifiable exposures.
References
Allergies and asthma: They often occur together. (2021). The Mayo Clinic. Web.
American academy of allergy, asthma, and immunology. (2023). AAAAI.org. Web.
Asher, M. I., et al. (1998). Worldwide variation in the prevalence of asthma symptoms: The international study of asthma and allergies in childhood. European Respiratory Journal 12, 315–35. Web.
Dharmage, S. C., Perret, J. L., & Custovic, A. (2019). Epidemiology of asthma in children and adults. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 7, 246. Web.
Doyle, R. (2000). Asthma worldwide. Scientific American, 282(6), 30. Web.