Take action to decrease the burden of asthma in women
Brussels, 8 March 2015, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY – In the European Union women live on average five years longer than men (1) but report having lower satisfaction with their health status. The quality of life and wellbeing women experience as they age is not always satisfactory. Chronic diseases are responsible for a large part of illness, disability and mortality in the EU, accounting for 86% of all deaths (2). In 2012, the number of years women who lived with a disease accounted for 26% of their entire lifespan (3), an issue that needs to be examined and highlighted on International Women’s Day.
Chronic diseases such as asthma can affect women and men in different ways. Alarmingly asthma rates have doubled in the last ten years and disproportionately affect women. Issues including female hormones, modern lifestyles, environmental changes, can impact on the development of asthma. During the last decade it has become apparent from research that many physiological and pathological functions are influenced by sex-based differences in biology which affects patient treatment and care.
According to EIWH Policy Brief, Women and Asthma in the EU, asthma rates increase considerably in women over 40 years old, with nearly six new cases of asthma in women to one new case in men. “Women should be aware that the fluctuation of female hormones may be as responsible for Asthma attacks as other environmental factors, such as household dust, cleaning products, perfumes, hairspray etc., causing inflammation of the airways" (4), stated Hildrun Sundseth, President, EIWH.
“Given the higher prevalence of severe asthma in females, we are calling on all partners, from policy makers to doctors, to pay specific attention to gender differences in clinical asthma research. It is crucial that women receive tailored prevention advice and treatment to minimise their asthma symptoms and recover their quality of life”, said Breda Flood, President, European Federation of Asthma and Airways Diseases Associations (EFA).
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Facts from the EIWH Women and Asthma Policy Brief
About thirty million people have asthma, about six million of whom have severe symptoms. In Europe, asthma is more common in females (4.3%) than in males (3.3%) ages fifteen and older with the exception of Slovenia. In childhood, boys have twice the rate of asthma as girls. However, the rates reverse once girls reach puberty. Asthma costs Europe €17.7 billion annually, including an estimated €9.8 billion annual loss in productivity from poorly controlled asthma. The Women and Asthma Policy Brief is available here.
Notes:
(1) Eurostat May 2014 life expectancy at birth statistics: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Mortality_and_life_expectancy_statistics
(2) European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies Tackling Chronic Disease in Europe: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/96632/E93736.pdf?ua=1
(3) Eurostat May 2014 healthy life years statistics: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Healthy_life_years_statistics
(4) EIWH,Women and Asthma in the EU Policy Brief: http://eurohealth.ie/policy-brief-women-and-asthma-in-the-eu/
For more information please contact:
- Peggy Maguire, Director General, EIWH, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. +35 386 822 55 76
- Isabel Proaño, EFA Communications Manager, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +32 (0)2 227 2720
The European Institute of Womens Health (EIWH) is an NGO promoting gender equity across the lifespan in public health, research and social policies across Europe for women and their families. www.eurohealth.ie
The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) is a non-profit network of allergy, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) patients organisations, representing 38 national associations in 25 countries and over 400,000 patients. Visit www.efanet.org for more information.