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news.New asthma research indicates that as many as a third of people aged 55 years and older may be living with undiagnosed asthma and that a high prevalence of asthma in an ageing population will impose an increasing burden on the health system and the future economy.
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A total of 13 papers researching asthma in Australian populations are due to be published, providing an alarming insight into asthma among older generations. One South Australian study found that 33% of people in its over 55 age sample group had asthma but had not been diagnosed.
Due to other complicating medical conditions and the complex nature of asthma itself, asthma is harder to diagnose in older people and is significantly under-diagnosed by doctors. The current research indicates that a new approach needs to be taken when addressing elderly patients, if the illness is to be detected.
An overview of asthma in older people established that there is no specific asthma management plan in place for older people. What’s more, the prevalence of Asthma is increasing in all age groups according to a study conducted in West Australia which found that the overall incidence of asthma had tripled between 1966 and 1994.
“Urgent steps are needed to remedy the current situation and arrest a continued increase in asthma in older people that could have serious social, medical and economic implications,” said Peter Adamson president of the Asthma Foundations of Australia.