1. health and fitness
2. disease
3. asthma

Media Statement The Asthma Foundation 29 April 2015 Re: Newly released report -­‐ The Impact of Respiratory Disease in New Zealand: 2014 embargoed until 5 May 2015 World Asthma Day is Tuesday 5 May. The theme is: You can control your asthma “I am not looking forward to winter at all, as I know my son is going to have a hard road ahead of him with his asthma” and “My wee man is five and suffers from asthma, it’s a horrible time of year...dreading the real winter” are real comments from real people who live everyday with New Zealand’s most common respiratory condition, asthma. Serious respiratory illnesses continue to make a substantial contribution to New Zealand’s health burden. It is estimated that over 700,000 New Zealanders take medication for a respiratory condition and that respiratory diseases account for 1 in 8 of all hospitalisations in New Zealand -­‐ over 69,000 admissions including 23,000 admissions for children. Respiratory disease was the cause of over 2,700 deaths in 2011 and costs New Zealand over $5.5 billion every year. “While these figures are staggering, hidden behind them are real people and their families who struggle with the challenge of having a respiratory condition. Being unable to breathe is frightening both for the person and their family,” said Angela Francis, chief executive of the Asthma Foundation. The Asthma Foundation funded report The impact of respiratory disease in New Zealand: 2014 describes the incidence, impact and time trends of five important respiratory conditions: asthma, bronchiectasis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Report author Dr Lucy Telfar-­‐Barnard, research fellow at the University of Otago Medical School, Wellington noted “It has been 10 years since the impact of respiratory disease has been looked at in New Zealand. This latest measurement brings attention to the extremely high rates of respiratory disease amongst children in particular and the inequalities in respiratory health which continue unabated”. The key findings of the report are: •
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There has been no reduction in hospitalisations for respiratory disease over the last 10 years despite the introduction of new medicines, lower smoking rates and improved healthcare in general. Respiratory hospitalisation rates were highest for Pacific peoples (2.6 times higher) and Māori (2.1 times higher), and these trends were repeated across all age groups. There was a striking and consistent degree of disparity; both socio-­‐economic and ethnic across all respiratory diseases. The most deprived households have a hospitalisation rate more than 3 times that of the wealthiest areas. Asthma -­‐ Too many children are still being hospitalised with asthma with a total of 3,730 admissions in 2013. There are major ethnic disparities, with Māori and Pacific rates of hospitalisation 3 to 4 times higher than European (see more below). •
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Bronchiectasis -­‐ Hospitalisation rates have increased by 30% between 2000 and 2013. Overall, Pacific peoples were 6.4 and Māori were 3.7 times more likely to be hospitalised. Bronchiolitis -­‐ Childhood bronchiolitis hospitalisation rates increased by nearly a third from 3,937 in 2000 to 5,351 in 2013. COPD -­‐ Hospitalisation rates were 5.1 times higher and mortality rates 2.7 times higher, for patients from the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived. While government initiatives including free doctor’s visits for under 13 year olds and supporting the goal of a smokefree Aotearoa will go some way to helping reduce the impact of respiratory conditions, more needs to be done. The Asthma Foundation is developing a National Respiratory Strategy. This is an important first step toward addressing the huge burden and impact of respiratory disease on individuals, families and the New Zealand health system. The Strategy will provide recommendations for government agencies, district health boards, primary health organisations, health workers and community organisations. To reduce the burden of respiratory disease on New Zealand the Asthma Foundation recommends: •
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Targeted programmes for those in most need could be effective in reducing inequalities and overall rates of respiratory disease. All patients with asthma need to have regular access to a GP, be given an asthma action plan, and be able to afford prescription costs for medicines that are required for life. A focus on poverty, healthy housing, and equitable and affordable access to primary care will go a long way to improving the burden of respiratory diseases. Urgent new research to identify and address the causes of the severe ethnic and socio-­‐
economic differences in respiratory health. Angela asks “Some people may ask whether we can afford to do these things in tough economic times; the real question is, can we afford not to?” -­‐End-­‐ Angela Francis (chief executive), Dr Lucy Telfar-­‐Barnard (report author) and Dr Kyle Perrin (medical director) are available to be interviewed. A full copy of the report The impact of respiratory disease in New Zealand: 2014 can be found on our website. Respiratory Health Media Awards -­‐ Journalists, videographers, bloggers and health professionals are invited to submit respiratory-­‐related stories published or broadcast during 2015. The winner of each category receives $1,000 and an invitation to the awards ceremony in February 2016. You can find out more information on the website (http://asthmafoundation.org.nz/news-­‐and-­‐events/respiratory-­‐media-­‐awards/) Notes for the Editor World Asthma Day, Tuesday May 5 World Asthma Day is an annual event organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma to improve asthma awareness and treatment around the world. Asthma affects approximately 235 million people and causes an estimated 250,000 deaths annually worldwide. The theme for 2015 is: You can control your asthma. In New Zealand one in nine adults and one in seven children takes asthma medication, over 460,000 kiwis. For good asthma control it is important to use preventer medication as prescribed, to visit a health professional regularly, and to get an asthma management plan. Asthma management plans are designed to help manage your asthma and recognise when it is deteriorating before it gets to an emergency situation. If all asthmatic patients had good control of their symptoms we would see a dramatic decrease in hospital admissions. However many patients with bad asthma have difficulty controlling it due to factors which are outside of their control. These factors include living in an overcrowded, damp or cold house, or having a low income making it harder to visit a GP or pick up prescriptions. In many cases it can be due to exposure to second hand smoke. “The impact of respiratory disease in New Zealand: 2014” highlights our poor asthma statistics including: •
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Large numbers of children are still being hospitalised with asthma: 3,730 in 2013. Many people who require hospital admission with asthma have had a potentially life threatening attack. Being unable to breathe is terrifying both for the person and their family. Being socially disadvantaged is a major risk factor for hospitalisation or death from asthma. The most socioeconomically deprived areas have a hospitalisation rate more than 3 times that of the wealthiest areas. There are major ethnic disparities, with Māori and Pacific rates of hospitalisation 3 to 4 times higher than European. A conservative estimate of the cost of asthma to New Zealand is over $800 million per year To reduce the impact of asthma on patients, their families and the health system the Asthma Foundation recommends: •
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Further changes in tobacco control legislation in order to stay on track for the Smokefree Aoteroa 2025 target Targeted programmes for those in most need to reduce inequalities and overall rates of respiratory disease. All patients with asthma need to have regular access to a GP, be given an asthma action plan, and be able to afford prescription costs for medicines that are required for life. About the Asthma Foundation The Asthma Foundation is New Zealand’s sector authority on asthma and other respiratory illnesses. We advocate to government and raise awareness of respiratory illnesses, fund research for better treatments and educate on best practice. We provide resources on our website and support our affiliated asthma societies and trusts in providing education, support and advice. For more information, visit the Asthma Foundation’s website http://www.asthmafoundation.org.nz/.