Inner-city asthma: Control can be achieved

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 2011-07, Vol.128 (1), p.64-65
• Main Author: Gruchalla, Rebecca S., MD, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Asthma; Asthma - epidemiology; Asthma - prevention & control; asthma control; asthma-associated morbidity; children; Children & youth; Hispanic Americans; Hospitals; Humans; Inner city; Morbidity; Studies; Urban Health - statistics & numerical data; Urban Population - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.05.014

[...]it confirmed that multiple factors, including poor access to quality care, psychological issues, and poor understanding of controller medication importance and use, contribute to asthma-associated morbidity in inner-city children. [...]it showed that a key environmental factor, specifically cockroach allergen sensitization and exposure, is an important determinant of asthma outcomes in these children.10,11 These initial National Cooperative Inner-City Asthma Study findings thus set the stage for several subsequent National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-sponsored interventional studies, 2 of which focused on enhancing the quality of asthma care provided to children with asthma living in inner cities12,13 and one of which focused on reducing exposure to indoor allergens and pollutants known to exacerbate asthma.14 Importantly, all of these interventional studies were successful in reducing disease activity in the populations studied, thus demonstrating that asthma control indeed could be achieved in children who had difficult-to-control disease and who lived in inner-city environments. [...]because inner-city families are known to have numerous stressors in their lives, it is probable that obtaining regular care for a chronic illness, such as asthma, is not a high priority for the family.