In Australia, one in nine people have asthma. It is a health burden for many children, and expensive for families because of out-of-hospital expenses.
Extra testing has been added to check for respiratory symptoms. Although research shows allergic asthma does not increase the risk of COVID infection and death, keeping asthma symptoms under control is important.
Tobacco smoke, mold, dust, pet dander, and harmful gases can cause asthma symptoms. The most significant culprits are identified in our recent study.
Smoking, synthetic pillows, and gas heating in the house are some of the most common causes of asthma in the home. Asthma control could be improved by preventing these household environmental factors.
Environmental factors can cause asthma symptoms. Different countries and populations have different factors that affect the effect. Knowing the most common environmental causes of asthma symptoms in Australia can help us tailor prevention strategies.
We looked at the evidence based on the research conducted in Australia to determine family environmental factors associated with asthma. There were 56 studies that involved 137,840 people in Australia. Passive smoking, synthetic bedding, and gas heating in households are triggering factors for asthma symptoms. People with asthma need more asthma treatment and these household features are noted in more homes.
Being around smokers is the most common indoor exposure for people with asthma. Breathing in smoke can cause airway irritation.
This can cause asthma symptoms and other lung diseases. The main sources of secondhand smoke in Australia were identified as smoking by a parent or other family member at home and by colleagues in the workplace. Children were the main victims of secondhand smoke, exposed to their parents at home.
The second most common household Trigger was bedding made from unnatural fibers. feather-bedding items have lower house dust mite levels.
They increase exposure to volatile organic chemicals. These are gases that can be found in household products. These gases can cause health problems.
Synthetic pillows are more likely to cause cat and dog allergies. The weave of feather pillows makes them a more protective barrier to respiratory irritation. Children who are prone to asthma or allergies should be given extra attention to the bedding they choose.
Nitrogen dioxide gas can irritate the respiratory tract and cause asthma symptoms if flued and unflued gas heaters are used. If asthma is an issue, it is better to get rid of gas heaters or heating systems.
The importance of emphasizing prevention of some family environmental factors is shown in our research. Despite their effect on asthma, these factors may be less acknowledged.
The general public is aware of the scientific evidence that shows tobacco smoking is bad for asthma control. People may not be aware of the effects of passive smoking on asthma.
There is scope to build awareness of gas heaters and synthetic bedding as asthmatriggers. In a country where asthma is a major public health problem, families should be better informed about the environmental factors in their homes. The elimination of these factors may help control asthma symptoms.
Peter Sly is the Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Children and is a PhD candidate.
This article is free to use under a Creative Commons license. The original article is worth a read.
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