Research in asthma
With an estimated 20 million people in this country suffering each year from asthma, it has become a large topic of conversation (Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). And with the disease process of asthma becoming more and more prominent in this country, as has the research process for prevention, management and education for patients, parents and healthcare professionals. This has been a large web-based and clinical topic for many patients, families and healthcare professionals lately.
Asthma is a disease classified as a chronic inflammatory disease and bronchospasm in the airways (Wikipedia, 2011). Bronchospasms are said to be an over-reaction or “hypersensitivity” of the immune system towards environmental triggers. These bronchospasms are usually sudden and severe but can be easily controlled with a bronchodilator. Asthma can affect people of all age groups and can be caused by many types of triggers. Symptoms of this disease include “wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath” (Wikipedia, 2011). The acuity of bronchospasm is directly relates to the type of intervention needed for each patient scenario. The following web sources offer information regarding the disease process, interventions, education for all groups and current research on the disease process.
US National Library of Medicine: PubMed Health
Asthma
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001196/
PubMed offers a large variety of information on asthma from disease basics to interventions to prevention. This site offers a large number of signs and symptoms for patients and their families in order recognize this condition. This site also provides many helpful graphics and diagrams related to the disease process. Also listed, is a helpful link listed for asthma patient support groups.
Wikipedia
Asthma
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asthma
This site offers an overview of asthma in many areas including the general disease process, research, treatments and medications, classifications of the disease, genetic relation, socioeconomic factors, management and prevention, as well as lifestyle modifications. This site also provides graphics and diagrams for learning. This is a very good site for comprehensive overview of the disease process, however, is not considerate to be a scholarly research tool.
Mayo Clinic
Asthma
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma/DS00021
Presented by a prestigious research clinic, this site is very well organized and comprehensive in nature as well. Mayo Clinic offers a large amount of information regarding basics such as symptoms, causes and risk factors. There are also patient education tools listed here from medicines to making physician appointments. This site also offers a large amount of information regarding lifestyle changes and home remedies for treatment. Helpful links are also listed for contacting support groups and coping techniques.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Asthma—Information for Specific Groups
http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/healthcare.html
The CDC has a great website set up for asthma education. This site offers helpful educational tools for parents, pediatrics, elderly, and healthcare professionals. The tools listed for learning consist of helpful resources, programs, data/surveillance, and legislation regarding the disease. This website is full of asthma information in general terms to medical terms, graphic links and helpful printouts and brochures.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Free Continuing Education
http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=4&sub=79&cont=432
This site is wonderful for asthma patients and their families. The AAFA has organized this site to provide information helpful to patients with asthma and other allergies, and then further cater to those with intrinsic or extrinsic asthma diagnosis. Each type is offered helpful information regarding prevention, tidbits for different situations, medication information, and how each intervention tool is used in treating patients with asthma. This site is also offered in Spanish.
Partners Healthcare: Asthma Center
Asthma Research Center at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital
http://www.asthma.partners.org/newfiles/AsthmaResearchCenter.html
This site is ran by Brigham & Women’s Hospital, which is large asthma research center. Here they offer information on recent studies and clinical trials with new medications and as well as recent findings in asthma. They also have an area and contact number to be able to join asthma studies.
United States Environmental Protection Agency: Human Health Research
Asthma Research
http://www.epa.gov/hhrp/quick_finder/asthma.html
The EPA has a large website offering helpful information on current research in the works, as well as new research highlights and outcomes. This is a comprehensive site fact sheets, helpful links and resource publications. The EPA also offers email alerts for those closely following these studies and other research.
Resources
(2011). Asthma research. United States Environmental Protection Agency: Human health research. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/hhrp/quick_finder/asthma.html
(2011). Asthma. Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asthma
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