Martina Chukwuma-Ezike: Asthma causes too many preventable deaths in Scotland

By Martina Chukwuma-Ezike

June 16 2022, 11:45 am

In 2020, an estimated 368,000 people in Scotland were receiving treatment for asthma. A fifth of them were children (Photo: Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock)

The link between rising asthma rates in Scotland and child poverty are well established.

But, unless we see an urgent intervention from the Scottish Government, the current cost of living crisis will only mean one thing: more deaths which could have been prevented.

Living with an extreme form of asthma is also my reality. There was a time when I was on first name terms with the staff at Aberdeen’s accident and emergency department, I was there so often. That is why my mission in life is to drive urgent change for sufferers of this often-overlooked illness.

Guest columnist, Martina Chukwuma-Ezike, speaks out about poverty and asthma: "Children living in poverty are three times more likely to die from the condition. And, saddest of all, 90% of all asthma deaths can be prevented."

The latest figures we have show that 113 people in Scotland died from an asthma attack in 2020.

In the same year, there were 72,000 children with asthma in Scotland. But now, according to our independent clinical advisors, we have 100,000. That is an alarming rise.

Asthma is a public health catastrophe

I was talking to journalists this week and told them that the poverty I have witnessed in Aberdeen is worse than the conditions in my native Africa. The staff at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation see it firsthand, in schools and during home visits.

We continue to deliver workshops for children and young people with asthma and to equip their staff with life saving skills to support the children to learn and thrive despite their asthma. We also provide vital resources and health information to these schools. pic.twitter.com/Fn4xZuXI9t

— Asthma and Allergy Foundation (@aaf_info) June 15, 2022

Badly ventilated, cold housing, poor diet, and anxiety caused by lack of money are all massive triggers for a serious asthma attack. Children living in poverty are three times more likely to die from the condition. And, saddest of all, 90% of all asthma deaths can be prevented.

That is why I welcome ongoing dialogue with the Scottish Government, to try and prevent what I see as a public health catastrophe.

As Scotland’s only dedicated asthma charity, we need to work closely with the NHS and ministers to make the public “asthma aware”. The difference between life and death can be the knowledge of the person standing beside them.

Why are UK asthma death rates so high?

Statistically, the UK has one of the highest rates of asthma deaths in Europe, and children here have more asthma symptoms than anywhere in the world. Why is this happening? We need answers.

We are calling for families managing asthma to be given special priority, particularly around their housing needs

Education is a huge part of this. And a national awareness campaign, specifically on what to do in the event of an asthma attack, must be a priority. Also, specific asthma training for frontline health workers.

Charity Asthma + Lung UK has found more than twice as many women than men have died from asthma in Scotland since 2016 - with female hormones thought to be connected. — Charity Asthma + Lung UK found that more than twice as many women than men have died from asthma in Scotland since 2016 (Photo: Aquarius Studio/Shutterstock)

As well as this, we are calling for families managing asthma to be given special priority, particularly around their housing needs. If they request a move because the conditions in which they live are exacerbating symptoms, then that needs to happen.

I hope when I next meet with Maree Todd, the public health minister, we can make a meaningful breakthrough and end a situation which is fast getting out of control.

Martina Chukwuma-Ezike is CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, and Lord Rector of the University of Aberdeen