~Asthma Canada Calls on Policy Makers Across
Canada to Address Care Gaps in Asthma Care~
TORONTO, May 7, 2024
/CNW/ - This World Asthma Day, Asthma Canada is calling on the
approximately 2 million Canadians living with uncontrolled asthma,
to take control of their condition to live their best quality of
life – symptom free.
In Canada, over 4 million
people are living with asthma, however, studies show that more than
50% have an uncontrolled form of the disease, resulting in
unnecessary reductions in quality of life, avoidable illness and in
some cases, even death.
"It is alarming to see the levels of uncontrolled asthma are
still prevalent across Canada.
While there have been significant advancements made in the field in
recent years, the fact of the matter is, one in two people with
asthma are living a decreased quality of life because of their
condition," President and CEO of Asthma Canada,
Jeffrey Beach said. "Many
Canadians living with asthma have accepted poor control as part of
living with the condition. But there is an alternative and a
symptom free life is attainable. If your asthma is holding you back
from doing the things you love in life, this is an indication that
your asthma is uncontrolled."
To assess whether an individual's asthma is controlled or
uncontrolled, Asthma Canada advises considering the following five
questions:
- Do you have frequent breathing difficulties and find yourself
coughing and wheezing most days?
- Does your asthma impact your sleep by waking or keeping you up
at night?
- Do you experience breathing difficulties when you exercise or
exert yourself physically?
- Do you frequently miss work or school due to asthma?
- Do you use your reliever inhaler more than twice a
week?
Answering yes to any of these questions is an indication of
uncontrolled asthma. For those who suspect they have uncontrolled
asthma, Asthma Canada recommends visiting asthma.ca to download a
free Asthma Action Plan and speaking to their healthcare
professional about their asthma management.
"For five decades, Asthma Canada has been the national
charity dedicated to supporting individuals impacted by
asthma," said Jeffrey Beach, as
the charity celebrates its 50th anniversary year. "If you
have any questions about your or a family member's asthma, please
reach out to our FREE Asthma and Allergy HelpLine
at 1-866-787-4050 where you can speak to an asthma expert
about any aspect of asthma management."
On World Asthma Day, while attending the Ontario legislature at Queen's Park to
recognise the critical work of Asthma Canada for the asthma
community, Jeffrey Beach reiterated
the crucial role policymakers have in addressing the widespread
issue of uncontrolled asthma throughout Canada. "Many people living with asthma,
and particularly those living with severe asthma, continue to face
obstacles within the healthcare system that impede their ability to
manage their condition effectively. This exacerbates symptom
management challenges and adds strain to our already overburdened
acute health care system. To tackle this growing issue,
policymakers must act promptly and make asthma care a
priority."
Asthma Canada was a participant
in a recent expert steering committee that developed the first
Canadian stakeholder consensus for diagnosis, appropriate referral,
and treatment of severe asthma. More than 150 certified respiratory
educators, respirologists, allergists, general practitioners/family
physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and respiratory therapists from
across the country participated in the study, to lay out a path for
high-quality respiratory care for Canadians.
The study presents policy makers with a road map and best
practices to improve the quality of care, resulting in improved
outcomes, quality of life and patient experience for Canadians
living with severe asthma and their caregivers. Policy actions
include:
- Address the gaps in timely and accurate referrals to
specialists, complying with the 4–8-week optimal period, for
patients living with asthma.
- Explore an enhanced role for allied health care professionals,
such as certified respiratory educators, who can support the care
system.
- Establish consistently referral pathways with acceptable wait
times across the continuum of care.
These recommendations if implemented, would ensure Canadians
living with uncontrolled asthma can achieve better control and live
a better quality of life - symptom free.
About Asthma Canada:
Asthma Canada is the only
national healthcare charity dedicated to improving the quality of
life for people living with asthma and respiratory allergies. For
50 years, Asthma Canada has proudly served as the national voice
for Canadians living with asthma. Our mission is to help Canadians
with asthma lead healthy lives through education, advocacy and
research. For more information, please visit Asthma.ca.
About Asthma in Canada:
- Over 4 million people are living with asthma in Canada
- Including 900,000 children under 19; and
- 800,000 adults over the age of 65;
- Asthma is the third most prevalent chronic disease in
Canada
- An estimated 317 Canadians are diagnosed with asthma every
day
- An estimated 250 Canadians lose their lives to asthma each
year
- Some Canadians are hit harder by asthma; it is 40% more
prevalent among First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities
than the general Canadian population.
About Asthma:
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that
causes symptoms like shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing
and wheezing. Asthma causes inflammation and narrowing of the
bronchial tubes, which leads to limited airflow and difficulty
breathing. There is currently no cure for asthma, but with
proper treatment, it can be managed.
About Asthma Action
Plans:
An Asthma Action Plan serves as a personalized roadmap for
managing asthma, enabling people living with the disease to
identify potential flare-ups and navigate through them effectively.
Research indicates that having a written agreement with their
healthcare provider enhances an individual's asthma management at
home.
Asthma Action Plans can be downloaded for free from Asthma
Canada's website.
About the Study:
The steering group of asthma experts from across the country,
met in 2022 to systematically identify key topics in the severe
asthma care pathway through existing guidance and practice in
Canada. This culminated in the
creation of 43 consensus statements for testing, then used to
develop a Likert questionnaire, which was sent out to health care
providers including pulmonologists, allergists, family doctors,
nurses, pharmacists, certified respiratory educators, and
respiratory therapists.
Respondents were offered a 4-point scale to rate their agreement
with each statement, ranging across 'strongly disagree', 'tend to
disagree', 'tend to agree' and 'strongly agree'. Completed
questionnaires were collated and the individual scores for each
statement analyzed to produce an arithmetic agreement score for
each.
The responses to consensus statements were analyzed in line with
Delphi methodology (a forecasting process and structured
communication framework based on the results of multiple rounds of
questionnaires sent to a panel of experts). The steering group
predefined agreement for consensus at 75%, a widely accepted
threshold. Consensus was defined as 'high' at≥75% and 'very high'
at≥90%.
The study can be found here.
About World Asthma Day:
World Asthma Day (WAD) is organized by the Global Initiative for
Asthma (GINA), a World Health Organization collaborative
organization founded in 1993. WAD is held each May to raise
awareness of Asthma worldwide.
SOURCE Asthma Canada