Asthma UK has launched a new online tool to enable healthcare professionals and researchers to access the latest figures on asthma.
The Asthma UK Data Portal is an interactive digital platform that enables users to examine trends in asthma outcomes seasonally and geographically across the UK.
The Asthma UK Data Portal includes data on emergency hospital admissions, including:
• monthly totals for asthma admissions in the UK
• rates of admissions by health area
• emergency asthma admissions by age and gender
The Portal also includes information on excess winter deaths linked to the higher rate of asthma-related deaths that occur because of the colder conditions.
It also includes data on:
• How many people have asthma
• How many people who are registered to their GP have a diagnosis of asthma
• How many people receive an annual asthma review
• How many people die from asthma
• How many people claim disability living allowance (DLA) due to asthma
• How much asthma costs the UK
A downloadable guide provides instructions on how to navigate and reference data from the Portal and can be accessed here: http://www.asthma.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/data-portal/
Dr Samantha Walker, Director of Research and Policy at Asthma UK, said: “Understanding how asthma care is being delivered through GP practices and other primary care providers can help us to improve outcomes for people with asthma. Our Data Portal enables health care professionals and researchers to identify areas where for example, hospital admissions for asthma may be exceptionally high, or where low numbers of people are undertaking their annual asthma review with their GP. As more data is added to the portal, trends in the variability in asthma care across the UK should guide future health policy decisions to improve clinical outcomes for people with asthma.”
Notes to editors:
For more information, please contact the Asthma UK media team on mediaoffice@asthma.org.uk, 020 7786 4949 (during office hours) or 07951 721393 (outside of office hours).
The Asthma UK Data Portal is a new online tool for journalists to access the latest figures and trends in asthma outcomes across the UK. Information on asthma facts and statistics can also be found on our website.
About Asthma UK
• In the UK, 5.4 million people are currently receiving treatment for asthma: 1.1 million children (1 in 11) and 4.3 million adults (1 in 12).
• Every day, the lives of three families are devastated by the death of a loved one to an asthma attack, and tragically two thirds of these deaths are preventable.
• Asthma UK’s mission is to stop asthma attacks and cure asthma. We do this by funding world leading research, campaigning for improved care and supporting people to reduce their risk of a potentially life threatening asthma attack.
• The Asthma UK Helpline is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm on 0300 222 5800.
• For more information about asthma please visit www.asthma.org.uk
