Health Policy Document

Introduction
This Health Policy Document describes the Asthma Foundation of Queensland's stance on asthma-related health issues, the identified asthma-related challenges throughout the state's geographic, population and other segments, and those areas we have identified that require our involvement.

Vision of the Asthma Foundation of Queensland
This Health Policy statement is consistent with the overall strategic plan of the Asthma Foundation of Queensland, and our vision to eliminate asthma as a major health problem in the community.

Impact of asthma in Queensland
About 20% of the population have reported having had asthma ever diagnosed (equivalent to an estimated >1 million Queenslanders), and about 10% of the population report current asthma (equivalent to an estimated >500,000 Queenslanders)¹.

The Asthma in Australia 2008 report, published by the Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, indicates that Queenslanders with asthma, similar to other states, have ongoing issues with impact on quality of life, general practice encounters, hospitalisations and use of health care services¹.

Principles of asthma diagnosis and management
Through service to consumers, public awareness, advocacy and research, we aim to improve the diagnosis, prevention and management of asthma in Queensland.

Our guiding principles are based on the collective experience of the health professionals working in the Asthma Foundation of Queensland, including its Medical Advisory Committee. These principles are consistent with national (Asthma Management Handbook)² and international asthma evidence-based guidelines (Global Initiative for Asthma)³, strategies of the Asthma Foundations of Australia www.asthmaaustralia.org.au and the National Asthma Strategy of the National Asthma Council of Australia www.nationalasthma.org.au/content/view/240/476/.

These principles include appropriate and timely:
• Diagnosis of asthma using history, examination and appropriate investigations.
• Management of asthma with medications, trigger avoidance, self-management education and regular review.
• Management of asthma exacerbations using appropriate therapy.
• Management of subtypes of asthma, asthma co-morbidities and complications, asthma in specific populations, and minimisation of complications of asthma treatment.

The goals of asthma management are to achieve and maintain the best clinical control of asthma, and reduction of future risk of adverse outcomes⁴. Recommendations for "healthy asthma" practices for people with asthma include:
• Monitoring of asthma control
• Adherence to asthma medications
• A written asthma action plan
• Regular health checks with their health professionals.

Asthma and the community in Queensland
Through our community activities, we aim to promote asthma education and advocacy via a number of programs, including:
• Information for people with asthma
• Training for asthma health care professionals
• Awareness of asthma in the community (e.g. schools, workplaces)
• Enabling asthma research
• Advocacy for people with asthma.

Challenges for people with asthma in Queensland
Specific challenges in asthma management in Queensland include (amongst others):
• Access to asthma health care and education in rural and remote areas
• Asthma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Asthma in the older population
• Recognising and avoiding triggers in the environment
• Smoking cessation for people with asthma
• Promoting appropriate self-management of asthma.

Partnerships for asthma
We work with partners in the health care and public health fields, and in partnership with other organisations working in related areas of asthma and linked respiratory conditions. These strategic partnerships are with government agencies (e.g. General Practice Divisions, Queensland Health, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing), other Asthma Foundations, and organisations in the community.

Asthma research
Through research, the Asthma Foundation of Queensland aims to push the boundaries and improve outcomes for people with asthma. We enable this through competitive funds available for asthma research in Queensland, and we continue to seek additional funding through grant applications, sponsorships, partnerships and other avenues of support.

PhD Scholarship program
The Asthma Foundation of Queensland supports and provides funds for research through its PhD Scholarship Program.

Acknowledgements
The document has been prepared by the Medical Advisory Committee of the Asthma Foundation of Queensland. We acknowledge the hard work and efforts of the volunteers and staff of the Asthma Foundation of Queensland, towards improving outcomes for people with asthma.

References

1. Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring. Asthma in Australia 2008. AIHW Asthma Series no. 3. Cat. no. ACM 14. Canberra: AIHW; 2008.

2. National Asthma Council. Asthma Management Handbook. Melbourne: National Asthma Council Australia Ltd; 2006.

3. Global Initiative for Asthma. Global strategy for asthma management and prevention. http://www.ginasthma.org/; 2008.

4. Reddel HK, Taylor DR, Bateman ED, et al. An official American Thoracic Society/european Respiratory Society statement: asthma control and exacerbations: standardizing endpoints for clinical asthma trials and clinical practice. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2009;180(1):59-99.
   

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