A NEW set of healthcare booklets have been launched for Asthma sufferers from South Asian communities.
Asthma UK, the Charity behind the new booklets, says the information will help Asian sufferers who have been admitted to hospital with a potentially life-threatening asthma attack, avoid future emergency admissions.
There are over 200 emergency admissions for asthma a day in the UK and people from South Asian communities are three times more likely than white people to be admitted to hospital for their asthma, the charity have said.
One in six people who have received emergency treatment for an asthma attack need emergency treatment again within two weeks.
Asthma UK’s new bilingual materials ‘After Your Asthma Attack’ and ‘After Your
Child’s Asthma Attack’ aim to overcome the language barriers to good healthcare which cause many of these admissions to occur.
The booklets, sponsored by Hoover, have been produced bilingually in English and Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali and Gujarati and will be distributed across the UK to doctors and nurses who work in areas with large South Asian populations.
Claire Randolph, Community Development Manager at Asthma UK says: “Our research shows there is a real need for better resources for South Asian communities who often receive a lower standard of health care and are usually less confident in managing their asthma than other groups.
“To help address the situation we worked with patient groups and healthcare professionals to produce these booklets which offer advice, information and signposting services to empower people with asthma from South Asian communities to better safeguard their health. Going forward we’re looking for people to advise us on how we can ensure their community is able to access the best possible healthcare and information.”
For further information or to order a copy go to the Asthma UK website asthma.org.uk or call the Supporter Information Team on 08456 63 81 43.
