Allergy and Asthma

Allergies cost Americans nearly $7 billion annually, and asthma costs exceed that at an estimated $18 billion. More than 50 million Americans have allergies and 20 million have asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

This spring, more than 50 million Americans will suffer from allergies. The reason this spring will be exceptionally hard for the East Tennessee area is due to the mild winter. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America conducted a nationwide study to determine which city has the worst allergens in their area. Knoxville, Tennessee, is ranked sixth of the top 100 cities.

Allergy

Allergy is an overreaction of the human immune system to a foreign protein substance (allergen). The allergen may be eaten, breathed into the lungs, injected or touched. The overreaction results in symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, itching, eye irritation, runny nose and scratchy throat. The most severe reactions result in rashes, hives, lower blood pressure, difficulty breathing, asthma attacks and even death.

Unfortunately, there is not a cure for allergies, but they can be managed with proper prevention and treatment. There has been a genetic component linked to allergies. Studies show that if only one parent has allergies of any type, there is a one in three chance that each child will have an allergy. If both of the parents have allergies, there is more likely a seven in 10 chance that the children will have allergies.

Allergies is the most common and overlooked disease in the country today.

The different types of allergies include the following.

• Indoor/outdoor
• Food
• Drug
• Latex
• Insect
• Skin
• Eye

Allergies are the fifth leading chronic disease in the United States among all ages and the third most common chronic disease among children under 18 years old.

• Indoor/Outdoor Allergies

• Attributed to 75 percent of primary allergy for allergy sufferers
• Approximately 10 million people are allergic to cat dander
• Tree and weed pollen
• Mold spores
• Dust mite and cockroach allergen
• Dog and rodent dander

• Skin Allergies

• 7 percent of allergy sufferers primary allergy
• Poison ivy and oak
• Sumac
• Skin contact with cockroach and dust mite allergen
• Contact with certain foods
• Latex

• Food and Drug Allergies
  • 6 percent of allergy suffers primary allergy
  • Food allergy is more common in children than adults
  • 90 percent of all food allergies are caused by eight foods.

• Milk
• Soy
• Eggs
• Wheat
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Penicillin is the most common drug allerg

• Latex Allergy
  • 4 percent of allergy suffers primary allergy
  • 10 percent of healthcare professionals suffer from latex allergy

• Insect Allergies
  • 4 percent of allergy sufferers primary allergy
  • Bee/wasp stings
  • Venomous ant bites
  • Cockroach and dust mite allergen

• Eye Allergies
  • 4 percent of allergy suffers primary allergy
  • Most often caused by many of the same triggers as indoor/outdoor allergies

General Information

• Allergies are the most frequently reported chronic condition in children, limiting activities for more than 40 percent of them.
• Each year, allergies account for more than 17 million outpatient office visits, primarily in the spring and fall; seasonal allergies account for more than half of all allergy visits.
• Skin allergies alone account for more than 7 million outpatient visits each year.
• Food allergies account for 30,000 visits to the emergency room each year.
• Exposure to the latex allergen alone is responsible for more than 200 cases of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) each year.
• Nearly 400 Americans die each year due to drug allergies from penicillin.
• More than 200 deaths occur each year due to food allergies.
• Each year nearly 100 Americans die due to insect allergies.
• 10 deaths each year are due to severe reactions to latex allergy.
• The annual cost of allergies is estimated to be nearly $7 billion.
• Direct costs accounted for nearly $6 billion ($5.7 billion in medications and $300 million in office visits)
• For adults, allergies (hay fever) is the fifth leading chronic disease and a major cause of work absenteeism and “presenteeism,” resulting in nearly 4 million missed or lost workdays each year, for a total cost of more than $700 million in total lost productivity.

Asthma

Asthma is inflammation of the air passages resulting in the temporary narrowing of the airways that transport air from the nose and mouth to the lungs. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing and tightness in the chest. In the most severe cases, asthma can be deadly.

Unfortunately, there is not a cure for asthma, but it can be managed with proper prevention and treatment. There has been a genetic component linked to asthma. Studies show that if only one parent has asthma of any type, there is a one in three chance that each child will have asthma. If both of the parents have asthma, there is a seven in 10 chance that the children will have asthma.

Every day in America

• 40,000 people miss school or work due to asthma.
• 30,000 people have an asthma attack.
• 5,000 people visit the emergency room due to asthma.
• 1,000 people are admitted to the hospital due to asthma.
• 14 people die from asthma.

Asthma among Americans

• Asthma is the most common chronic condition among children.
• Asthma is more common among adult women than adult men.
• Asthma is more common among male children than female children.
• Asthma is more common among children (7 to 10 percent) than adults (3 to 5 percent).
• Nearly five million asthma sufferers are under age 18. It is the most common chronic childhood disease, affecting more than one child in 20.
• Asthma is slightly more prevalent among African Americans than Caucasians.
• Ethnic differences in asthma prevalence; morbidity and mortality are highly correlated with poverty, urban air quality, indoor allergens and lack of patient education and inadequate medical care .
• There are more than 5,000 deaths due to asthma each year, many of which are avoidable with proper treatment and care. In addition, asthma is indicated as a “contributing factor” for nearly 7,000 other deaths each year.
• More females die of asthma than males, and women account for nearly 65 percent of asthma deaths overall.
• African Americans are three times more likely to die from asthma. African American Women have the highest asthma mortality rate of all groups, more than 2.5 times higher than Caucasian women.

To make an appointment today, call 1.877.UT.CARES (1.877.882.2737).

Resources
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

 

 

4/20/2006