A new report has revealed something that many asthma sufferers may have suspected for a while – that severe asthma sufferers face widespread discrimination.
Asthma sufferers who were interviewed reported to having faced prejudice that stems from great ignorance among people about the seriousness of their condition and how disabling it can be.
Since the severity is variable from day to day and is not evident on the face of it, people are unaware of its impact.
It was reported by subjects that they faced discrimination even from people such as teachers and health care professionals – the very people who are supposed to take care of them.
The report has urged healthcare professionals, teachers, social workers, employers, policymakers, benefit agencies and commissioners as well as the general public to recognize how debilitating and disabling asthma as a condition can be. All these agencies are called upon to treat asthma sufferers with respect and fairness as well as offer support to help them cope.
Breathing difficulties are a reality almost all the time for many asthma sufferers and emergency trips to hospitals are also not uncommon. There is also the fact that the sufferer has to live in fear of a fatal complication at all times and have to take a number of medications to keep their condition in check.