Health Care: Asthma

Asthma is an airway disease. Asthma is symbolized by amplified feeling of the airways to a number of which produces spasms of airways. Asthma is also caused by constriction. Asthma causes definite narrowing of the airways and the narrowing may be calmed after treatment or impulsively. Asthma does not occur at specific ages, it can occur at all ages. On the other hand, 550% of asthma cases occur to people who are below ten years. Asthma may occur to an individual if the person is exposed to certain allergens and external stimuli; these cases are classified as allergic asthma.

Idiosyncratic asthma is case where asthma occurs when there is no implication of specific stimuli or allergen. People who suffer from asthma may have strong family or personal history of allergies. Allergic or extrinsic asthma is triggered by several allergens such as smoke, pets, dust, chemical, some food stuff and dander. Other factors that can also act as triggers of asthma are emotional stress, fatigue and respiratory infections. There are drugs which also cause asthma like the beta blockers and aspirin. The three major symptoms of asthma are: wheezing, cough and breathlessness. These three symptoms are normally evidenced during a sharp attack.

The population that is mostly vulnerable to asthma is children who are below ten years. It has been realized that boys who fall under this age are more vulnerable to the chronic disease than girls but the state reverses during adult age where women become more vulnerable to the disease than men. Even though asthma can attack anybody, research states that children who come from poor backgrounds are mostly affected with the disease that those who come from wealthy background (Bjorklund & Ruth, 189).

This is because; these children are exposed to an unhealthy living. The poor people mostly live within the inner parts of cities which can also be referred to as slams. In the inner city, the areas are overpopulated and congested making it very difficult for the smooth flow of fresh air. Secondly the inner parts of the city are untidy therefore making this age group contract the disease at a very high rate.

Children who have low birth weight are also very vulnerable to asthma. The basic environmental factors that make some of the population vulnerable to the disease are: pollution, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, cold temperatures, high humidity and ozone. It has been noticed that asthma symptoms tend to increase during the heavy pollution in the air. This is signified by increased hospital admissions. Cloudy environment releases caustic ingredients to the air. These caustic ingredients are known as ozone. Ozone causes shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing (Glaser & Jason, 167).

The cloudy environment also releases sulfur dioxide. Presence of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere also causes asthma because sulfur constricts airways. The other environmental condition that causes asthma is the change in weather. Cold weather can cause congestion in the airway, constriction of the airway which is also known as bronchoconstriction, reduced clearance of the mucociliary (this is another type of airway inefficiency) and secretions. Humidity can also cause breathing difficulty in some cases.

Unlike any other infectious disease like colds or flu, asthma is not transmitted. Asthma tends to be a condition that an individual is born with or an individual can be bone with the tendency of getting asthma later in life (Bjorklund & Ruth, 169). On the other hand, asthma can be transmitted from mother to child during delivery.

By taking medicine exactly as prescribed by the doctor, an individual is able to control asthma and avoid asthma attacks. One should also stay away from things that trigger an attack by asthma. People who suffer from asthma do not take same medication; some asthma medicines are inhaled while others are taken as pills. Medicines used for asthma treatment come in two types: long term control and quick relief medicines (Glaser & Jason, 194). The quick relief medicines are used to control the symptoms of asthma while the long term control medicines help an individual to have fewer and mild attacks but they cannot help an individual who is having an asthma attack.

The medicines used for treating asthma can have some few side effects but these side effects are mild and go away after a short while. Children with asthma are treated by making them inhale two puffs of steroids like the beclomethasone. This is done twice a day; every morning and evening (Bjorklund & Ruth, 205). Any break through symptoms in children can also be treated by using bronchodilator like the albuteral. Even though the daily inhaled medications are considered the best standard to prevent asthma attack, they also have some side effects. The main side effects these inhaled steroids are problem with adherence and restricted growth.

It is evidenced that diverse ethnic and racial persons and populations living in poverty are most likely to die from asthma than white people. Traditionally used ethnic and racial descriptors like non Hispanic, Hispanic, White and Black often put groups together who have different social, cultural and epidemiologic profiles (Glaser & Jason, 138). Dissimilarity in acculturation also describes the intergroup difference in constant illness occurrence.

There is variety in beliefs that are grounded on social class, culture, ethnicity and education, all of which interrelate and give to health disparities. Practices and beliefs affect both the type of program probable to be effective and the research being carried out within the community to expand and analyze interventions.

Health promotion helps encourage consumer conducts with the aim of optimizing health potentials: mental, psychological and physical potentials through preventive programs, access to health care services and health information. Individuals who are targeted by the health promotion efforts are peers, communities and persons in group settings to encourage a sustainable, lasting behavior changes that improve and maintain health (Connolly & Anne, 170).

Health promotion strategies can be applied to varying population groups, age allies, diseases, settings and risk factors. Strategies like education, policy, regulation, legislation and community development may be used in various combinations to address a wide series of health concerns starting from health disparities to disease detailed issues.

Contrary to the public health influenced approach of health promotion, the notion of wellness is defined as a person’s quest for spiritual, emotional, physical, mental and social well being with the aim of reaching and maintaining individual’s potential in his or her community (Connolly & Anne, 170). The wellness programs tend to highlight the benefits of good health like outdoor activities, feeling better and increased energy as a means of heartening accountability for daily life choices and avoid the negative penalty of poor health.

Health Wellness and Health Promotion both work to endorse person’s responsibility. These two programs both seek to motivate persons to be responsible for their personal health and to actively participate in health care and health decisions.

Works Cited

Bjorklund, Ruth. Asthma. New York: Benchmark Books, 2005. Print.

Glaser, Jason. Asthma. Mankato, Minn: Capstone Press, 2006. Print.

Ludovici-Connolly, Anne M. Winning Health Promotion Strategies. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2010. Print.