Asthma: A Major Health Concern

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Recommended: Future career plans for nursing

My major is nursing. I plan to graduate in the coming years with associates; I plan to continue my education for a bachelor’s. I live in Greenpoint (UHF) 201 which is a highly polluted area. Greenpoint is actually considered a Superfund site. A Superfund site is an unstable or abandoned place where hazardous waste is located, which can have a dangerous effect on the local ecosystems or people. Asthma is a major health issue. The population in Brooklyn is 2,504,700 with a median household income of $43,567. The demographics in Brooklyn consist of 42.8% non-Hispanic white, 34.3% non-Hispanic black, and 19.8% Hispanic and10.5% Asian. In 2000, Greenpoint had a very high poverty rate compared to other places in Queens. However neighboring communities like Williamsburg had the same statistics. The definition of a poverty rate is the ratio of the number of people who fall below the poverty line and the total population. In 2010 the rate had improved. The self-reported health status was between 8.8% to 15.4%.
Asthma is an illness that causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow, chest tightness, and coughing. This restricts the amount of air that can pass through the airway. Breathing in allergens usually triggers asthma symptoms. There isn't a cure for asthma and it can only be control. Air pollutants and irritants, such as smoke can trigger asthma.
Asthma is a major health concern for nursing because most asthma-related deaths occur in lower-middle income countries. The percentile of adults that have been diagnosed with asthma by a health professional in Greenpoint is 8.5% – 10%. This is a better percentile than neighboring community Williamsburg (UHF 211). But in other communities in Queens that are nearby like Astoria (UHF 40...

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...of 61.8%-76.9%. A home with a smoke free home policy doesn’t allowed smoking anywhere inside. The home environment can play a major role in the health of a family member living with asthma. Roaches produce allergens that worsen asthma conditions. Most of the housing in Greenpoint is very old and dilapidated often with mold. Mold is fungi that tend to appear a lot in damp condition like bathrooms with insufficient ventilation. A housing environment clean of mold and roaches can greatly improve the life of asthma person.
In conclusion, asthma is a major health concern for all nurses because it’s very common to see people with asthma visiting the emergency room. Determinants like healthcare, housing and place are important to living a normal life. People should be knowledgeable about where they live and does the condition improve or worsen because they live there?

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