Home
Join
Inches
About
Inches
Inches
Activities
News
Main Goals
Associates
Support
Site
Index
ASTHMA: Economic Costs Exceed TB And HIV/AIDS Combined
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the human and economic burden associated with bronchial asthma surpasses that of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined.
In a recent statement, the WHO said that the incidence of asthma is rising by 50% every decade and that between 100 and 150 million people already suffer from the disease. More than 180,000 people die every year from asthma. There are an estimated 15-20 million cases of asthma in India alone. The incidence of asthma symptoms in children approaches 20% in Kenya, and varies from 20% to 30% in Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and Uruguay.
Experts say urbanization, exposure to indoor allergens during infancy and a family history for asthma are major risk factors in the development of the disease.
In conjunction with the Global Initiative for Asthma, WHO has been working to develop strategies of management and prevention since 1992.
(UN release, 14 Jan)