There are more hospitalisations due to asthma in Bathurst and the Central West than in many other parts of the country, according to a national study.
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The study compared people in regional and metropolitan areas and found, overall, that those in regional areas have poorer asthma management.
One in two people with asthma who use their preventative medication infrequently, or never, have uncontrolled asthma, the study revealed.
A further 20 per cent have uncontrolled symptoms despite regularly using their medication.
In Bathurst, up to 201 people per 100,000 population were hospitalised due to their asthma.
Asthma affects one in 10 adults and children across the country – more than 2.3 million Australians – and half of these people have uncontrolled asthma.
Respiratory expert associate professor Vanessa McDonald said asthma can be a serious condition for sufferers.
“[They] endure wheezing, breathlessness and regular flare-ups, despite the availability of a range of effective treatment options,” she said.
Associate professor McDonald has encouraged Bathurstians to think about how they manage their asthma.
She said the recently launched national Asthma: Know Your Options campaign aims to encourage asthma sufferers to better manage their condition.
“We want to better match asthma action plans to the individual to help improve the results we see in our patients,” associate professor McDonald said.
“Asthma can be a serious condition and we aim to help all people with the disease to manage it effectively and find relief of their symptoms.”
The new campaign encourages patients to become more active in how their asthma is managed and to discuss with their doctor what may or may not suit them.
Visit www.asthmaknowyouroptions.com.au to take the asthma quiz.
