Asthma a big problem—study

Press, 2 May 1985, Page 8

Asthma a big problem—study

Three times more people die from asthma in New Zealand than in Britain, a recently published study shows. The two-year national study, published in the latest “New Zealand Medical Journal” identifies asthma as a big health problem for New Zealanders, says one of the co-ordinators, Dr John Gillies. Dr Gillies, a visiting respiratory physician at The Princess Margaret Hospital, co-ordinated the study in Canterbury, the West Coast and Nelson and Marlborough provinces. Between August, 1981, and July, 1983, 271 people under the age of 70 died of asthma, the study shows. In at least 61 per cent of those cases, death was

potentially avoidable if enough information had been available on the patient. The study “validates the problem that patients do die of asthma,” said Dr Gillies yesterday. “Although it doesn’t give us the answer as to why, it gives us some clues and some direction for further inquiries to be done in the future.” One particular area which needed looking at was patient education on medical care for asthma, he said. The mortality rate for Maoris and Pacific Islanders was considerably higher than that for Europeans, the study showed. “The Maori population is at particular risk; their ac-

cess to and use of medical care deserves further attention from both the receivers and deliverers of health care. “Guidance from those with appropriate expertise is needed to achieve better understanding of asthma and its management among those of different cultural backgrounds. Emergency medical care should be readily available at all times.” Attention to areas such as these could significantly reduce New Zealand’s high asthma mortality figures, the study said. Some of the deaths could have been avoided if the patient had gone straight to hospital, instead of relying on the drugs and respirators they had at home.

More than half the patients died in their own home, while 17 per cent died in the home of a relative or friend, holiday home or public place. The study was set up by an asthma task force organised by the Medical Research Council of New Zealand and the Auckland asthma study group. It is the first study of asthma mortality in New Zealand. The study highlighted the need for watchfulness over all asthmatics and particularly those with severe asthma who had had hospital admissions or emergency treatment recently. Dr Gillies said that since the study was completed, another, more detailed study had begun in Auckland.

This was being done in exactly the same way as one in Australia and in Europe, and was looking at people who were suffering from asthma now, a much more specific group than general asthmatics, he said. This was so that the study could be compared directly with other countries, he said. “What we’ve been saying is that we have a problem that is much worse. Under a critical eye, you can’t exactly compare studies done here with those overseas so far.”

Dr Gillies has also done a study on near-fatal asthma attacks in Christchurch. The findings from that study would be released soon, he said.