Asthma report finds significant progress made, but burden on poor remains high

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Today, Public Health - Seattle & King County is releasing the "Asthma in King County" Data Watch Report, which shows important progress in understanding effective management and control of asthma. Asthma continues to exact a tremendous toll on individuals, families and communities.

"Asthma is a very significant and debilitating chronic disease, and we must continue to reduce asthma's burden on families through comprehensive education and control strategies," said Dorothy Teeter, Interim Director and Health Office for Public Health - Seattle & King County. "It is especially unacceptable that communities of color and lower income populations are disproportionately impacted by asthma."

Asthma hospitalizations, especially among children, have declined dramatically in recent years. This dramatic decrease has occurred at the same time as the implementation of programs that coordinate high quality clinical care and interventions that reduce asthma triggers in the home, such as the Allies Against Asthma program, Steps to Health King County and the Healthy Homes Project.

According to the 2005 "Asthma in King County" Data Watch Report:

• Asthma is a leading cause of illness and disability in King County, affecting nearly one in ten adults (9%) and one in twenty children (5.5%). Asthma, however, can be largely controlled through existing treatments and reduction of exposure to asthma triggers.
• Low-income and minority populations experience substantially higher rates of hospital admissions due to asthma. Children from low-income communities are three times more likely to be admitted to the hospital for asthma than children from high-income communities.
• Asthma triggers are common in King County homes. In terms of homes of low-income people with asthma, 26% have mold, 16% have cockroaches, 23% have pets, and most have dust mites.
• Asthma hospitalizations in King County, most of which are preventable with good asthma management, cost more than $11 million per year.
• Between 1987 and 1995, hospitalization rates among children increased by 57%. However, between 2000 and 2004, hospitalizations declined by 39%. With adults, while the prevalence of asthma increased, asthma hospitalizations declined by 45% between 1987 and 2004.

The complete 2005 Asthma in King County Data Watch Report can be found online.

Asthma control and programs in King County

Asthma is a lung disease that causes breathing problems. Inflammation caused by asthma contributes to respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, and chest tightness. Asthma "attacks" often occur following exposure to triggers. Triggers include colds, tobacco smoke, air pollution, and allergens such as dust mites, mold and cockroaches.  For more asthma information and resources, visit: www.kingcounty.gov/health/asthma

The Data Watch report states that continued progress can be made in controlling asthma in King County through asthma education and improving housing quality, coordination of asthma services, school management of asthma, and quality of medical care. Additionally, current progress can be sustained by assuring funding for local asthma control activities that are proven effective.

"The reversal of the upward trend in childhood asthma is an important public health accomplishment," said Dr. Jim Krieger, Chief of the Epidemiology, Planning and Evaluation Unit at Public Health - Seattle & King County.  "The local efforts by Public Health, community organizations and the medical system to control asthma are paying off, especially home visits by community health workers and improving the quality of medical care."

In recent years, childhood asthma control programs and activities have been implemented in King County through King County Steps to Health, Allies Against Asthma, and Healthy Homes, in addition to the American Lung Association of Washington, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America - Washington Chapter, health care providers and managed care plans.

King County Steps to Health has community health workers who make home visits to encourage asthma self-management and provide community outreach and education. More information on King County Steps to Health.

The Seattle-King County Healthy Homes Project used community health workers to intervene with families to change asthma-related behaviors and to reduce exposure to asthma triggers. This project has received prestigious awards and was featured in the April 2005 edition of the American Journal of Public Health. More information about Healthy Homes.

The King County Asthma Forum is a coalition of people and organizations in King County that have been working together since 1998 to improve asthma awareness, prevention and treatment. Through its committees and collaborative projects, the King County Asthma Forum is promoting an integrated, coordinated system of asthma services and policies in the county.

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