Queens Tribune

May is the heart of spring, and the heart of the allergy and asthma season. May also marks National Asthma Awareness Month. Asthma — a disease causing inflammation of the lungs and breathing difficulties — affects 20 million people in the United States. While it is often manageable, it is becoming more common, especially here in New York.

New York State has the highest asthma hospitalization rates in the country for all age groups. In terms of New York City, one in eight adults reported an asthma diagnosis during their lives, 20 percent higher than the national average. Asthma also affects nearly 300,000 of the city’s children — nearly 17 percent of children citywide — including 65,000 in Queens. Each year, more than 300 New Yorkers die from asthma.

“Asthma has been on the rise for several years and affects millions of people throughout the country, including thousands in Queens,” said Dr. Hadi Jabbar of the Pediatric Asthma Center in Flushing. “In Queens, congestion and obesity are contributing factors to asthma development. Plus, we have some of the most ethically diverse communities in the country, which produces different levels of susceptibility that make asthma difficult to diagnose and manage.”

What triggers asthma? The places we live, work and go to school affect how likely we are to develop asthma. Common environmental triggers include dust, smoke, nitrogen dioxide (e.g., burning of fuel by motor vehicles), weather conditions, and allergens such as mold, pet dander, and cockroaches or other pests.

Recognize the warning signs. Asthma can be hard to diagnose, especially in young children. Symptoms include coughing at night, breathing problems after exercise, chest tightness, wheezing, and prolonged colds. When someone with asthma is exposed to one or more triggers, swelling and inflammation start in the airways of the lungs, causing tightness in the chest and coughing.

Asthma occurs much more often among certain ethnic and socioeconomic groups. While anyone can develop asthma, Hispanics have the highest rates, followed by African-Americans and American Indians. Among younger children, asthma is found more than twice as often in schools in low-income areas. In fact, low-income city children (up to age four) were hospitalized for asthma more than four times as often as those in high-income areas.

Effective management and treatment of asthma depends on several factors. These include access to care, proper identification of the condition, accurate diagnosis, and prescribing the correct drugs at the right time. Managing asthma also relies on education about filling asthma prescriptions and taking medications. Also, self-maintenance is improved when people can identify the specific triggers to their attacks. Be sure to pay attention to what you or your child was doing, where you were, and the time of the day when the attack started.

If you or someone you know has asthma, it’s important to develop an asthma treatment plan with a health care professional. Your doctor or specialist can help you better understand asthma triggers (as well as how to avoid them), and the most effective treatment options.

Dr. Susan Beane is Chief Medical Officer at Affinity Health Plan. For questions about asthma or general health, contact her at drbeane@affinityplan.org.