the water they drink, and the places where they live
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Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory system and can occur anywhere along it, from the nose to the lungs. The inflammation narrows the airways, thus creating a wide range of breathing difficulties such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Asthma is now considered to be the leading chronic disease among children.
Exposure to polluted air (especially traffic related air pollution) and pesticides have already been found as being connected to the development of new cases of asthma, especially among children. A special report by the American Health Effects Institute on traffic related air pollution has concluded, synthesizing data gathered from 11 studies, that living nearby highways "appears to be an independent risk factor for the onset of childhood asthma." The report also asserts that there are "likely to be casual associations" between asthma exacerbation, respiratory symptoms and traffic related air pollution (1).
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Asthma in Israel
- Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics for the year 2003-2004 found that 7.2% of adult population (i.e. above 21 years old) was diagnosed with asthma by a doctor (2).
- The national program for the measurement of community health care quality reported a rise in persistent asthma prevalence, in all age groups, between 2005 and 2007 (3).
- The Ministry of Health conducts a survey every 5 years to estimate the prevalence of asthma among 13-14 year olds. In 2003, 7% of all children in this age group were diagnosed with asthma. According to this survey, asthma rates among Arab children were higher in comparison to Jewish children. Moreover, the 2008 survey revealed a rise in the prevalence of asthma among Arab, Bedouin and Druze children, in comparison to the previous one (4).
- A study from the 1980's found a rise of almost 50% in the prevalence of asthma among children living in the Hadera area. It is interesting to note that scientists have failed to establish a connection between the establishment of the power plant in that region (at that time) and the rise in asthma numbers; no difference was found in occurrence of asthma between children living nearby the power plant and children living at greater distance from it (5).
- A recent large scale research is looking at the correlation between new recruits to the IDF and geographical dispersing of air pollution in Israel (6). Another recent study is examining rates of asthma among children in the Haifa area (5).
(1) "Traffic related air pollution: A critical review of the literature on emissions, exposure and health effects," Health Effects Institute Special Report. January 2010. http://pubs.healtheffects.org/view.php?id=334
(2) Central Bureau of Statisics. National Health Survey 2003/2004. The State of Israel. www.cbs.gov.il/www/publications/briut_survey/social_survey_h.htm
(3) Porath A et al. Quality Indicators for Community Health Care in Israel: Public Report 2005-2007. State of Israel Ministry of Health. April 2008. (in Hebrew). www.israelhpr.org.il/fileserver.php?file=464
(4) Asthma Incidence Survey among Israeli Arab, Bedouin and Druze 13-14 years' old students. Israel Center for Disease Control. Israel Ministry of Health. (in Hebrew).
(5) Peretz A. "Asthma and the Environment," Health and Environment . 2010 (in Hebrew).
(6) Rudich Y et el. “Prevalence, extent and geographical distribution of asthma and atopic diseases in young adults in Israel and the relationship with air quality parameters.” ,http://www.ehf.org.il/English/grants.asp?GrantId=6
Links
- Asthma and atopic diseases in young adults in Israel and the relationship with air quality I Research grant, 2008.
- Ozone I Knowledge center
- Asthma and the Environment I Alon Peretz (in Hebrew)
- The association between traffic exposure and asthma in children I Mary Ellen Gordian