Living in an urban area increases the risk of developing asthma

JAKARTA – A number of studies show that living in urban areas increases the risk of getting it asma . Although the percentage of children diagnosed with asthma in childhood remains the same in both urban and rural areas, it is around 5 percent.

Increasing evidence shows that children in urban environments aged 6-12 years are more likely to experience respiratory problems. Such as coughing at night and difficulty breathing.

This disparity suggests that there may be inadequate diagnosis or misinterpretation of symptoms in urban areas, resulting in the actual prevalence of asthma being higher than the diagnostic rates indicated.

Reporting from the Times of India, Thursday (9/5/2024) there are a number of urban-specific factors that can increase the risk of asthma.

Due to traffic, industrial emissions, and other sources of particulate matter, urban areas typically have higher levels of air pollution, which is known to worsen asthma symptoms. Additionally, there are often more people living in metropolitan areas, increasing exposure to viruses, allergies, and other respiratory irritants.

Children are the most vulnerable group. Especially those aged between 0-6 and 0-18 years.

For children under 2 years of age, the difference in risk between urban and rural settings is less pronounced. This suggests that certain characteristics of urban life may have a greater impact on older children.

To fully understand this, more research is needed to determine the exact causes of increased asthma risk in urban areas. Research in regions such as Tamil Nadu, India should focus on elucidating the mechanisms by which urban living impacts respiratory health

Socioeconomic issues, indoor allergens, air quality, and health care access are important topics of study. Public health interventions can be designed to reduce the risk of asthma in urban populations by addressing these challenges, which will ultimately improve respiratory health outcomes for children living in cities.

(dra)