As World Asthma Day falls on the first Tuesday of May each year, this year’s day to celebrate is Tuesday 7th May. Since 1984, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has declared May to be “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month”, so World Asthma Day acts as a great launching pad for a month of heightened awareness of asthma and allergies.
The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) organises the day to promote recognition, education and celebration of asthma awareness and it has become one of the world’s most important asthma awareness and education events in the world. Even in its first year, when it was synchronised with the first World Asthma Meeting in Barcelona, 35 countries became involved.
World Asthma Day 2024
The theme for the 2024 World Asthma Day is “Asthma Education Empowers”. This resonates deeply with us – we strongly believe in education and our certification program is built on this premise.
Each year, Americans spend about $10 billion on products marketed to people with asthma & allergies. But there is no regulation on these claims. Any company can label their products as “hypoallergenic” or “allergy-friendly” with no proof to back up those claims. The asthma & allergy friendly®Certification Program tests and certifies products and services in independent laboratories against strict standards so that consumers can trust our mark.
The Program works with retailers and manufacturers, offering education and research as part of the certification so that they are in a position to offer healthier products to consumers. The National Institutes of Health guidelines state people with asthma should assess their home environment and improve indoor air quality. Based on these guidelines, the asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program thereby empowers people to make better choices when buying products to remove allergens and improve indoor air quality.
AAFA is Celebrates 40 years of Designating May as Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
Since 1984, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has declared May to be “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.” It is a peak season for people with asthma and allergies and a perfect time to educate patients, family, friends, co-workers, and others about these diseases. This year AAFA is celebrating 40 years of designating May to raise awareness and save lives.
GINA
GINA was set up in 1993 in collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA, and the World Health Organization. Its objectives were clear: to increase asthma awareness, improve asthma management, reduce mortality and morbidity and increase accessibility and availability of effective asthma therapy. It also planned to promote identification of reasons for the increased prevalence of asthma and promote study of the association between asthma and the environment. Leading asthma experts from around the world help shape these strategies and plan their educational programs. GINA also maintains the World Asthma Day Internet Headquarters, where materials and resources are posted for downloading and a complete listing of activities around the world is constantly updated.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs. The airways narrow and swell and produce extra mucus. It causes recurrent attacks of breathlessness, cough, chest tightness or wheezing which can vary in severity from person to person and can change in severity in any individual over time. Asthma symptoms frequently cause night-time wakening, daytime fatigue, reduced activity levels, and school and work absenteeism. It is estimated that asthma affects 260 million people worldwide and is responsible for over 450000 deaths each year.
The good news is that good asthma control means no or very minimal symptoms and a low risk of asthma attacks. A person whose asthma is under good control can lead a full and normal life, attending school and work, participating in exercise and sports. Some top athletes have a diagnosis of asthma but, as long as they manage it well, they can excel in their field.
As individuals, we can promote World Asthma Day by, using social media and the internet to reach out to people who are concerned with asthma and by encouraging family members and friends with the diagnosis to educate themselves fully. It is estimated that only 7% of asthmatics know all the symptoms of an asthma attack. World Asthma Day gives us all an opportunity to change that. Simply spread the word.