Asthma: Culture and Disease Analysis

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Asthma is a common chronic condition. The cause of this condition is thought to be the narrowing of the person’s airways. This, as the experts explain, is a result of the inflammation of the airways in the lungs. The swelling will eventually lead to coughing, wheezing and difficulties in breathing.

The symptoms and signs of this disease vary substantially: it can either be serious, mild, moderate or even very serious. This will depend on the state of health of the individual. The condition affects people of all walks of life. However, recent research has shown that it is rampant among the African Americans (Hampton, Gullotta and Crowel 2010).

As stated, the condition affects more black Americans than white Americans. The reason behind this is that genes variation between different people. However, there are other reasons, including cultural, social, political and environmental factors.

Most black people live in poor neighbourhoods. These neighbourhoods are not able to provide the dwellers with quality healthcare facilities and health personnel. Some of this black Americans in minor cases have no access to health care facilities at all. Another social reason is low literacy levels. This affects the communication between the health providers and patients. Most patients find it hard to follow the doctor’s instructions. This has dire consequences (Hampton et.al 2010).

Economic factors such as low income and recession are also believed to make the infection rate of African Americans higher than that of white Americans. This makes it even harder to access quality healthcare and drugs.

Environmental factors are also to blame for these disturbing statistics. The neighbourhoods the African Americans live in are prone to pollution. These places also have poorly built structures. The low quality housing exposes them to allergens which cause asthma. Rampant pollution increases exposure to the allergens causing asthma. Traffic and industrial pollution are known to increase the swelling of the airways.

The main cause of asthma remains a puzzle up to today. Researchers have been working round the clock to establish the cause. Asthma can be transmitted through genes (Lupton, 2012). If one or both parents of a child are suffering from asthma, then the child is at a higher risk of being diagnosed with this condition.

Asthma is not treatable, but fortunately, asthma can be controlled. His can be done by avoiding both indoors and outdoors triggers of asthma. Triggers have been attributed to causing asthma attacks. (Hampton et al., 2010). The indoor triggers that asthmatic people should avoid are smoke, mould, pets that have fur or feathers, sprays and insects commonly found inside houses. The outdoor triggers that should be avoided are emissions from factories, power plants and cars. The others are dust, smoke and the cold weather.

Drugs used to minimize the possibility of asthma attacks should be readily available. Unfortunately, some of them are particularly expensive. Emergency control of asthma may require the oxygen therapy along a host of other types of medication. This will depend on how severe the patient’s condition is. For the long-term control of the disease, monoclonal and mast cell stabilizers may be used (Hampton et al., 2010). The above drugs are not used to treat asthma but to help an individual control the condition and lead a healthy and normal life.

Cultural influences, believes and values have come in the way of controlling asthma. Peer pressure has been causing more African American children to adopt bad habits of smoking. Smoking can cause asthma (Lupton, 2012). Violence is rampant in the neighbourhood the African Americans live. This has made parents restrict their children from going out to play. This will cause lack of fitness and also increase exposure to indoors trigger of asthma.

To help control this menace, there is a need to collect relevant data. This will estimate the number of people infected and the areas that face the highest infection rates. It will then require good leadership and massive resources to raise public awareness on asthma. This will involve helping the public get access to relevant information. This information includes the various methods that prevent the prevalence of the disease. Also to address these issues regarding treatment of asthma, the relevant authorities should come up with Legislations that will be vital in containing the spread and treatment of this disease. They should come up with comprehensive policies in their respective states that will go a long way to contain this menace.

Asthma related cases have been on the rise, particularly among the African Americans. This is caused by various social, economic and even at times cultural factors as we have learned. These disparities should not be in existence in the 21st century. More asthma awareness should be created. The legislators and care givers should team up and spread this awareness. The government should set aside some money through the budget to help jump start this health asthma awareness campaigns. If these measures are taken, we might reduce the number of infected people in the future.

References

Hampton, R., Gullotta, T., & Crowel, L. (2010). Handbook of African American-health. New York: Gulford Press

Lupton, D. (2012). Medicine as culture illness, disease and the body. Canbera, Australia: Department of Education.

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Asthma: Culture and Disease Analysis

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