(Asthma action plans are written instructions telling patients what to do if their asthma gets worse. An asthma action plan usually includes instructions about when and how the patient should change their medications, and when to access medical care)
The key messages are based on the recently released AIHW report, Asthma in Australia 2008*, which was prepared by the Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) and based at the Woolcock Institute. The key messages, together with the main report (now available as an interactive html) and associated slide set, are a valuable resource for those wanting to know more about asthma in Australia and are all available at www.asthmamonitoring.org
* The report was funded by the Department of Health and Ageing and prepared by the Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, a collaborating unit of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) located at the Woolcock Institute of Medial Research in Sydney.
** Defined as ever being doctor-diagnosed and still having asthma (National Health Survey 2004-05)