A recent study has uncovered that millions of adolescents across Africa may be suffering from asthma without knowing it due to a lack of medical diagnosis, leaving them without necessary treatments.
The findings, published in the medical journal The Lancet, shed light on a critical issue in a continent where data on asthma prevalence is scarce, despite the condition being one of the leading causes of chronic respiratory deaths. Journalist Shola Lawal highlighted the study on Al Jazeera English.
Asthma, a condition affecting the lungs and causing breathing difficulties, often begins in childhood or adolescence. In 2019, approximately 76 million young people worldwide were estimated to be affected by asthma. While there is no definitive cure for asthma developed during childhood, treatments can alleviate symptoms, which often persist into adulthood.
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) conducted a study involving 20,000 adolescents aged 12 to 14 in six African countries. They discovered that 12% of the participants showed severe asthma symptoms, yet 80% of them had never been diagnosed by a healthcare professional.
The study, carried out between 2018 and 2021, focused on urban schools in Blantyre (Malawi), Durban (South Africa), Harare (Zimbabwe), Kampala (Uganda), Kumasi (Ghana), and Lagos (Nigeria). Durban recorded the highest number of students with asthma symptoms, while Blantyre had the lowest.
Additionally, the study found that a third of students already diagnosed with asthma and experiencing severe symptoms were not using any medication to manage the condition. This lack of treatment was attributed to limited awareness of the disease’s seriousness and insufficient knowledge about available therapies.
Dr. Gioia Mosler, the study’s research director, noted that adolescence is the stage of life with the highest prevalence of asthma. While the findings cannot be generalized due to differing conditions across African cities, Mosler pointed out that, if extrapolated, the results could suggest that approximately 15 million adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa suffer from undiagnosed asthma.
Causes and Consequences of Asthma
Asthma can be triggered by pollen, dust, or particles from burning waste and other pollutants. Symptoms often include difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing. While severe asthma is rare, it can be fatal; in 2019, asthma claimed around 455,000 lives globally, primarily in low- and middle-income countries.
Accurate data on asthma-related deaths in Africa is scarce, but local studies indicate potentially high mortality rates. For example, Uganda reports 19 deaths per 1,000 people annually. Asthma’s causes are not entirely understood but may include genetic predispositions and environmental factors such as climate change and air pollution.
Urbanization’s Impact on Respiratory Health
With Africa experiencing the fastest urbanization rate globally (3.5% annually), expanding cities contribute to increased air pollution from energy use, vehicle emissions, and unmanaged waste. In South Africa, for instance, coal-powered plants are linked to high asthma prevalence and respiratory issues.
Challenges in Treatment and Proposed Solutions
Most African countries address asthma on a crisis-by-crisis basis rather than with long-term management plans. The cost of treatment remains a barrier; in Nigeria, the price of inhalers nearly tripled in one year, rising from $1.70 to $4.57.
The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of improving air quality in cities to reduce asthma prevalence. Researchers advocate for increased governmental investment in asthma treatments, both short-term relief options and long-term management therapies.
Dr. Mosler suggested that mobile clinics visiting schools could be an effective solution for early detection, particularly in areas with limited healthcare infrastructure.
In the face of climate change and mounting health challenges, asthma remains a significant concern requiring urgent attention to improve the quality of life for millions of adolescents across Africa.
