Asthma
Achieving results with expert asthma disease management
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Disease Profile:
Asthma
Asthma is a common chronic lung disease, affecting approximately 17 million people in the United States. Although often perceived as a children’s disease, asthma actually affects more adults and can have a devastating impact on the workplace.
When asthma strikes, airways in the lungs become inflamed and constricted, causing coughing, wheezing and breathing difficulties. These symptoms can complicate employees’ on-the-job productivity or cause absences when family members suffer asthma attacks.
If unmanaged, asthma can be debilitating; each year nearly 500,000 Americans are hospitalized and more than 5,000 die from asthma. Asthma accounts for millions of missed workdays and school days every year and is the most frequent cause for pediatric ER use and hospitalizations.
Unfortunately, asthma is on the rise, increasing by 75 percent since 1980, causing problems for sufferers as well as their families and employers. Its economic costs are staggering, including direct health care costs of $6.1 billion and indirect costs, such as lost workdays, of $4.6 billion.
Employers frequently report that asthma ranks among their top most costly conditions. However, asthma and its associated costs can be effectively managed through proven behavioral change techniques and expert monitoring.
High-touch intervention
Focused Health services are designed to help adults and children take control of their asthma. Enrollees work closely with their nurse manager (asthma specialists) to help identify symptoms, avoid asthma “triggers” and begin early treatment to avoid complications.
Results
Through active participation, enrollees in the Focused Health Program report having:
- Fewer and less severe asthma attacks
- A greater sense of independence and self-confidence
- Enhanced knowledge about their asthma and medications
- Reduced absences at work and school
- Fewer asthma-related ER visits and hospital stays
Data excerpted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Science, Journal of the American Medical Association, Mayo Clinic and National Center for Health Statistics.
Loss of work, school days missed, hospital care; billions of dollars are lost every year…