DUN-PROPOSAL 1

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CATEGORY: Chronic & Emerging Conditions

TOPIC 4: Asthma Management and Environmental Triggers

Student Name: Dunia Barrueta Institution: Florida National University Course: Health Promotion & Role Development in Adv. Nursing Practice

Professor: Nora Hernandez Pupo Date: May 14, 2026

Asthma Management and Environmental Triggers

Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs that impacts millions of people around the world, over 25 million people in the United States. This causes the airways to get swollen and blocked and to make it difficult to breathe. Common symptoms are cough, wheezy, tight chest and difficulty in breathing. The onset of asthma attack can be mild or severe and can be triggered by certain environments, such as exposure to allergens, dust mites, mold, children's exposure to smoke and air pollution. This is because its short-term and long-term effects are reduced absenteeism from school and work, hospitalization, reduced quality of life and that healthcare will cost more. So, the treatment of asthma and the environment/control measures are critical to decrease complications and health conditions.

Global Impact of Asthma

According to WHO, “in 2016 there were 417,918 deaths due to Asthma in the global level, and 24.8 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYS) attributable to Asthma” (Alyami, 2024). Asthma in LMICs is a burden especially when health care services, medication, and education are restricted. Pollution is one of the prominent causes noted for the increasing prevalence of asthma around the world, and it becomes more and more potent. Pollution from industries, tobacco smoke and urban pollution are harmful to children's and adults' respiratory health. Other types of allergens that could be heavier due to climate change and worsen asthma symptoms are pollen and mold spores. As countries become more urbanized, there are growing numbers of health care issues related to exposure to the environment, particularly of the respiratory tracts.

Asthma costs also have an impact on the world's economy, resulting from healthcare costs, ED presentations, and productivity losses (Buendia et al., 2025). Exposure to a trigger in the environment can make asthma symptoms worse and happen more often, especially if exposure occurs in childhood. Health promotion organizations around the world persist in campaigning for asthma education and prevention programs and an environment of pollution-free policies.

National Relevance of Asthma in the United States

Asthma in the United States, affects about 25 million individuals, including more than 4 million children (Pate & Zahran, 2024). The risk of the child being exposed to chemical fumes in work, cigarette smoke, poor indoor/outdoor air quality and from vehicle air pollution is increased, increasing the risk of asthma attack. The discouraging news is that asthma hospitalizations are still a heavy price to national health systems and the cost of the health system is still a heavy price due to asthma.

Treating asthma in the United States focuses on the use of medication, home and self-care education and support, and control of environmental factors. The National guidelines promote the use of asthma action plans, regular monitoring, and minimizing exposure to triggers in the home, school, and work environment. Although there has been progress in the treatment of asthma, many still have sub-optimally controlled disease as a result of limited access to health care and poor knowledge of the underlying factors in the environment.

Local Impact and Environmental Triggers

Local communities face the burden of asthma as a result of more health care visits, missing school, and missed work due to productivity. Poor sanitation, dust, smoke, and mold are common environmental triggers for asthma in many urban and rural communities that lead to exacerbation of asthma. Air pollution near busy roads, factories, or communities lacking good waste management can affect respiratory health, with greater exposure of the communities to such pollution (Pate & Zahran, 2024).

Health Promotion and Prevention Strategies

Employers and community groups helps in educating, screening and awareness campaigns in the fight against asthma (Sansweet et al., 2024). Good classroom environments and a medication/first aid kit at the classroom door that can be accessed on the child's call of assistance are important supports in the school environment for the safe management of asthma. The reduction of the incidence of asthma attacks and hospital admissions can be achieved through community-based interventions such as no smoking indoors, air purifiers, and promoting hygiene. A network of providers, teachers, policy makers and families should be formed to better the health of asthma in the community.

References

Alyami, M. D. (2024, November 24). The Relationship Between Air pollution and Asthma. https://doi.org/10.37532/pulclr.2023.4(1).1-6

Buendia, J. A., Zuluaga, A. F., & Martínez-Rodríguez, C. E. (2025). Global and regional projections of the economic burden of Asthma: a value of statistical life approach. F1000Research, 14, 146–146. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.157481.1

Pate, C. A., & Zahran, H. (2024). The status of asthma in the United States. Preventing Chronic Disease, 21. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd21.240005

Sansweet, S., Rolling, C., Ebisawa, M., Wang, J., Gupta, R., & Davis, C. M. (2024). Reaching Communities Through Food Allergy Advocacy, Research, and Education: A Comprehensive Analysis. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 12(2), 310–315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2023.12.026