Spotlight: NCD's - Chronic Respiratory Diseases/WiREDInternational.org

undreds of millions of people worldwide suffer every day from chronic diseases of the airways and other structures of the lung. Chronic respiratory diseases (ranging from infections like bronchitis and pneumonia to conditions like asthma and COPD) caused more than 4 million deaths in 2012. COPD alone caused more than 3 million deaths that year—6% of all deaths internationally. Furthermore, because of smoke from indoor wood-stoves, millions of people in developing regions die of COPD.

During the coming months WiRED International will spotlight noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which are the primary health threat in the world today. According to the World Health Organization, NCDs claim 16 million lives a year globally.

More than 75% of deaths worldwide are due to NCDs. Their number exceeds that of all deaths from communicable diseases, plus deaths related to maternal and perinatal malnutrition. Our community health education website offers an e-library of more than 350 medical and health information modules, many of which feature NCDs. WiRED International believes that individuals and communities that understand the basics of NCDs can make vast improvements in their health outcomes.

The prevalence of asthma, the most common NCD among children, runs as high as 30% in Brazil and Panama, 20% in Kenya—and rates are rising by 50% every 10 years. Worldwide, the economic costs of asthma are estimated to exceed those of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined.

People of all ages and regions of the world are vulnerable to chronic respiratory diseases. Exposure to tobacco smoke, indoor/outdoor air pollution and allergens are common, modifiable risk factors of chronic respiratory diseases. Asthma, for example, can be well controlled and managed through proper diagnosis, treatment and patient education.

WiRED International offers numerous modules on various types of chronic respiratory diseases, including COPD, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear/nose/throat disorders, as well as a quit smoking module. Some are geared for grassroots audiences, while others are for students and medical/healthcare professionals. Learn about various chronic respiratory diseases by going to our e-library at http://www.wiredhealthresources.net/index.html and searching for your topic at the top of the page by first letter. WiRED believes that preventive measures and accurate diagnoses of health issues can significantly reduce the toll of chronic respiratory diseases.