Treating Asthma

One of the most important parts of a community assessment is identifying the community’s health disparities in order to properly intervene and improve the health of the community. After conducting the windshield survey in Germantown, the top three health disparities discovered included: knowledge deficit regarding nutrition, exposure to toxic substances and physical hazards related to old housing, and lack of access to recreational space. Many houses in Germantown were built before the 1970s, which indicates that many people are exposed to lead-based paint, in particular the young children, who are more susceptible to experiencing negative health effects. Another prominent health disparity was the lack of access to recreational space. Through

The lack of access to and availability of health food has always been a Public Health issue, affecting many lives, particularly the underserved population. The presence of small corner stores in inner cities that carry unhealthy food items has been linked with increased risk of chronic diseases and obesity. The inner cities in New York with low-income and minority communities have a large number of corner stores in close proximity to the neighborhoods and fewer number of grocery stores as well as supermarkets at a distance from the neighborhood. The owners of the corner stores in the inner city neighborhoods have very limited knowledge about the health benefits associated with the consumption of highly nutritious food. They are also unaware of the health consequences associated with the consumption of unhealthy food. Without any knowledge about health and food, these corner stores are simply

This paper is an assessment of the city of Reading, Pennsylvania. It will describe the city with a focus on the population, economic situation, culture, neighborhood and safety factors. It will also look at what the city has in place in case of a disaster. From this data, I will interpret the overall status of the community and formulate a logical community diagnosis.

The MDI may be placed in the mouth with the lips sealed around it, placed 1 to 2 inches away from the opened mouth, or attached to a spacer or holding chamber with the end of the device placed in the mouth and the lips sealed around it.

At various stages of asthma, preventative measures can be used to control or alleviate the symptoms associated with this disease. Education is an important component to every intervention phase, particularly in primary prevention, because the patient is encouraged to be proactive with their personal health in order to avoid and control the triggers. Prescribed medication, such as an inhaler, and an action plan that is individualized to the specific care of a particular patient is essential in the secondary prevention phase. Finally, in the tertiary prevention phase, the care is directed not only at the common asthmatic symptoms and triggers but also at the complications that result from long-term suffering of this disease. This paper focuses on environmental factors which trigger asthma, with specific focus on children from infancy to 16 years of age in low-income housing, and how the appropriate measure can minimize the triggers and symptoms. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is the example we will use.

Eight-year-old B.J. has had asthma for 2 years since he had acute bronchitis. He was tested for allergies and demonstrated marked responses to a number of animals, pollens, and molds. B.J. also has a history of asthma related to exposure to very cold weather.

Collectively, there are fewer full service stores in wards 5, 7, and 8 than in ward 3 alone. These wards can be referred to as a ‘food desert’, urban neighborhoods or rural towns without access to fresh, healthy and affordable foods. This is a large contributor to the problem. If someone cannot easily access the right foods, are they expected to go out of their way to get it? Perhaps, but it certainly isn’t the reality.

Discuss the prevalence of asthma in certain patient populations that you might see in primary care. Asthma is chronic airway inflammation disorder that is characterized by persistent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and non-productive cough, mainly at night and in the early morning. The inflammation of the airway results from physical, chemical, and pharmacologic stimulus, which causes bronchial hyper-responsiveness, constriction of the airways, edema of airway wall, and chronic airway remodeling (Cash, 2014). Asthma occurs at all ages, with about 50% of all cases developing during childhood and another 30% before age 40. In the United States, it is estimated that 25 million people have asthma and the prevalence continues to increase (McCance, & Huether, 2014). Previously, asthma was considered

There were neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia where residents couldn’t easily buy healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. And science shows us that people who live in these underserved neighborhoods are more at risk for serious diet-related diseases like obesity(Food Trust website). They began with one farmers market at Tasker Homes, a public housing development in South Philadelphia. Once a week, with the help of the Tasker Homes Tenant Council, they set up one long table overflowing with produce. It happened to be the only source of fresh fruits and vegetables in the community. The Food Trust works with neighborhoods, schools, grocers, farmers and policymakers in Philadelphia and across the country to change how we all think about healthy food and to increase its availability. The Food Trust efforts with its partners resulted in the creation of the Fresh Food Financing Initiative. It was the nations first statewide financing program to increase supermarket development in underserved areas. The Food Trust is a nonprofit organization that continues to ensure that all children who live in communities have access to safe, healthy and affordable food. Their key goal of this project is to stimulate the development of supermarkets in lower-income neighborhoods.

Asthma is best described as a chronic inflammation the pulmonary lower airways because of hyperresponsiveness of lower airway obstructions that is usually reversible (Fireman, 2003). Asthma is triggered by cold air, exercise, viral upper respiratory infections, cigarette smoking, and respiratory allergens. One in 12 people in the United States has been diagnosed with asthma which is approximately 25 million people which accounts for 8% of the total population (AAAAI, 2016). It is estimated that the average cost for care of asthma in the United States is about $3,300.00 yearly in related medical expenses, missed school, missed worked days and early death (AAAAI, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to describe the long-term treatment

Chris reported that his asthma is under control and his school has his asthma action plan.

The good thing about asthma is that there are a lot of medications available to help treat asthma sufferers with acute onset of symptoms as well as help with the long term prognosis of patients. Asthma medications are classified into two groups, Controller and quick-relief. Controller medications are designed to help prevent asthma attacks. Their purpose is to try and reduce the chronic inflammation thus making the body less likely to react to triggers. Some of these include long-acting beta-agonists, Leukotriene modifiers, Mast cell stabilizers, Theophylline, and immunomodulators. Long-acting beta agonists are bronchodilators that assist in opening up your airways. These are normally aerolized medications. The bronchodilator causes the muscles

The pathophysiology of Asthma includes inflammation of the airway. The way in which this works is from an irritant which can include dust, pollen, cedar, or cat hair. When a reaction occurs, the airways become inflamed and narrow. The narrowing occurs because once the inflammatory response is triggered by an irritant, histamines, immunoglobulin E antibodies, and leukotrienes are released. Because of this, mucous production occurs. Since the bronchioles are inflamed and narrow, breathing becomes difficult. Wheezing sounds can be heard due to the lack of air being able to easily move in and out of the narrowed bronchioles.

Designing Healthy Communities is a miniseries by PBS based upon the life work of Dr. Richard J. Jackson, public health advocate (UCLA, n.d.). In the episode, Places of the Heart, Jackson surmises humans need a more holistic and organic connection to the world we are in, what he calls places of the heart (CSU Global, 2015). The episode focuses on the cities of Elgin, IL and Syracuse, NY and the post-industrial challenges each has faced, including walkability of communities, disintegration of major manufacturing employers, and polluted natural resources. The episode explores how community advocacy groups contribute to future community health.

It is safe to use an asthma inhaler in pregnancy. In fact your doctor will recommend youb and your inhaler to keep your asthma under control. Although most women with asthma have perfectly healthy babies. But if depends upon the severity of asthma. Uncontrolled asthma can increase the risk of: