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Asthma
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Reduce
the number of school days missed by children with asthma.
Developmental
Objective, baseline data to be determined in 2001.
Reduce
the rate of asthma related hospitalizations.
Target:
118 per 100,000.
Baseline, 1998: 143.9 per 100,000 persons were hospitalized
for asthma.
Target setting method: 18 percent improvement.
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Chronic
Disease - Asthma
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Asthma is a respiratory condition causing
the airways in the bronchial tubes to be obstructed. The prevalence
of asthma in children has increased significantly over the past two
decades with associated increases in hospitalization, death, and restricted
activity. Approximately 134,000 North Carolina children suffer from
asthma and it is one of the most common causes of emergency department
visits and hospitalization. Unfortunately, this number may not fully
represent the prevalence of the disease among children, since many
children go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Seventeen percent of all
emergency department visits are due to asthma. It is reportedly the
leading cause of school absence among children with chronic illnesses.
In 1999, 50 percent of children with asthma missed school because
of the disease. Asthma is improved by controlling environmental triggers,
using appropriate medications, actively monitoring the disease, and
patient education. |
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Disparities
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African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino children more
frequently use emergency departments for medical care of their asthma,
are more likely to be hospitalized, and are more likely to die from
asthma than White children. Research reveals a strong relationship
between poverty and asthma. Counties with large populations of American
Indians have also shown very high hospitalization rates for asthma. |
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Determinants/Risk
Factors
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Exposure to allergens and pollutants; lack
of access to adequate primary care; inadequate financial resources;
inadequate social support; respiratory infections; climate changes;
physical and emotional changes (e.g., coughing, laughing, exercise,
stress) |
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| Chronic
Disease - Asthma |
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