“First, I get a cough, then I get tight in the chest because I struggle to breathe. I feel scared because I don’t want to go to the hospital,” Oakley explains, reflecting on her experiences.
The severity of Oakley’s asthma has sometimes been so extreme that she has needed to be airlifted to Melbourne for emergency treatment.
With no other clear triggers for her asthma attacks, Oakley’s family places a high priority on avoiding illness.
However, managing this is a nearly impossible task with three other children, one of whom is still in childcare.
“I feel like we get every daycare bug coming home,” says Oakley’s mother, Ebony Elliott. “We’re all very on edge, because we’re not sure, you know, what the outcome might be.”
Despite the unpredictability of these medical crises, it is the regular travel from their home in Albury, located in southern New South Wales, to Sydney for medical appointments that takes an even larger toll on the family.
This year alone, Oakley has made the trip to Sydney six times, missing 11 weeks of school, which equates to an entire term.
“It’s annoying because I miss lots of school, and I miss family fun things, and my siblings. I miss them a lot,” Oakley admits.
When her mother is in Sydney with her and her father’s work starts early in the morning, Oakley’s grandparents need to stay over to help the rest of the family manage their daily routine.
This ongoing struggle highlights a broader issue faced by many families in regional Australia: accessing life-changing care is fraught with barriers.
Over 400 Asthma Hotspots Identified
Asthma is a significant concern for Australian families, affecting around 10 percent of children up to the age of 14. The condition, which impacts the airways and makes breathing difficult, can be fatal in severe cases, claiming approximately 400 Australian lives each year.
Recent research published in the peer-reviewed journal Global Health Research and Policy reveals that regional Australia is disproportionately affected by childhood asthma.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales analyzed data from the most recent census, which collected information about childhood asthma. They broke down this data into small geographical areas provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The study found that the average rate of child asthma in these areas was 6.27 percent. Areas with higher rates were classified as hotspots if they bordered another area with similarly high rates. The research identified 465 asthma hotspots across Australia.
New South Wales had the highest proportion of these hotspots, at 38.9 percent, followed by Victoria at 20.9 percent, Queensland at 18.1 percent, and Tasmania at 11 percent.
Dr. Nusrat Homaira, a co-author of the study from UNSW School of Clinical Medicine, highlighted a clear link between socio-economic disadvantage and the prevalence of childhood asthma.
“The majority of the hotspots, more than 60 percent, were in socio-economically disadvantaged areas,” Dr. Homaira noted.
An additional 20 percent of hotspots were located in areas with a medium level of disadvantage. Furthermore, 84 percent of the hotspots had a higher-than-average Indigenous population.
“Socio-economic disparities, even in a wealthy country like Australia, play a huge role when we talk about the burden of acute and chronic conditions,” Dr. Homaira explained.
Although the study did not delve into the causes of these disparities, previous research has indicated that poorer areas often experience higher levels of environmental pollution, indoor smoking, overcrowded housing, and lower educational attainment.
“People with lower incomes are more likely to live in substandard housing, where there can be greater exposure to triggers like mold and dust mites or may reside in areas with higher levels of air pollution or pollen. All of these are known to be established triggers for asthma,” Dr. Homaira added.
The difficulty many people in regional Australia face in accessing healthcare, whether from general practitioners or specialists, also contributes to the problem, according to Dr. Homaira.
What Can Parents Do?
Anthony Flynn from Asthma Australia suggests several actions that parents of children with asthma can take to mitigate these challenges.
“Just because you live in a hotspot area doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to do or that your outcomes are set in stone,” Flynn said.
He recommends that parents:
- Consult with a doctor to ensure that the medication is appropriate for the patient.
- Reduce the use of gas for cooking and heating, or limit children’s exposure to gas.
- Minimize dust and mold through regular cleaning.
- Use air filters in the home.
Flynn pointed out that previous research has shown that poorer individuals are more likely to suffer from recurrent viral infections early in life and live in areas with higher pollution, both of which are factors that can contribute to asthma.
“This research validates some established knowledge and evidence around the role of society and socio-economic status on the well-being of people with asthma, and even on the risk that they might get asthma in the first place,” he said.
For Oakley, the struggle to access healthcare in her major regional city presents a significant disadvantage. “In Albury, they don’t have specialists for lungs, so I have to come to Sydney,” she says.
Ebony adds that their family has been fortunate to receive support from various charities, such as Little Wings, which provides free transport to Sydney, and Ronald McDonald House, which offers accommodation.
“I think without them, this treatment for her would be out of reach,” she concludes.
The study highlights the urgent need for targeted resources and interventions to address asthma management and support families like Oakley’s in regional Australia.
