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Review
. 2023 Nov;28(11):992-1004.
doi: 10.1111/resp.14590. Epub 2023 Sep 13.

Asthma in developing countries in the Asia-Pacific Region (APR)

Duminda Yasaratne  1 , N Sabrina Idrose  2 , Shyamali C Dharmage  2
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Asthma in developing countries in the Asia-Pacific Region (APR)

Duminda Yasaratne et al. Respirology. 2023 Nov.
Free article

Abstract

There is growing interest in the epidemiology of asthma in developing countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific Region (APR). A number of reviews have been published in this field, but a comprehensive synthesis of overall data has not been reported. Here, we summarized the burden, risk factors and challenges of asthma management in developing countries with a specific emphasis on the APR by consolidating evidence from both systematic and narrative reviews published up until February 2023. We found that although asthma prevalence in low and low-middle-income countries (LMICs) is known to be generally lower compared to high-income countries, the burden is substantially greater. Studies conducted in APR LMIC have reported a range of risk factors, including pre- and post-natal factors, environmental considerations, lifestyle measures, individual features and genetics. The low and inequitable distribution of quality preventive and curative health care, a lack of advanced diagnostic measures, non-availability and non-affordability of novel therapeutics, cultural beliefs and practices, and diverse disease phenotypes make it challenging to achieve optimal asthma control in the region. Hence, we call for the development of a region-specific blueprint for action to mitigate this challenging situation, to help reduce the burden of asthma in APR LMIC.

Keywords: Asia-Pacific; LMIC; asthma; burden; challenges; epidemiology; risk factors.

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References

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