The social impact of asthma
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Updated: Sep 14, 2026

Bronchial Thermoplasty: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Severe Asthma
Published on: November 5, 2010
1Department of General Practice, University of Manchester, Rusholme Health Centre, UK.
Abstract:
While much research has examined the aetiology and treatment of asthma, little work has been done on its social impact. Yet asthma, like any disease, has a social as well as a medical dimension and it is increasingly being recognized that these two dimensions are interlinked. This paper describes a study into the social and personal impact of asthma on the lives of sufferers and their families. It shows that people are affected in many different ways: in employment, schooling, physical activities, social interaction, personal relationships and emotional well-being. All of the people interviewed had experienced some impact on their lives, albeit to varying degrees. The overall social impact was positively correlated with the severity of the asthma itself; this correlation was statistically significant in the case of adults and children under school age.
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