Research Guides: Chronic Diseases: Asthma

Asthma Resources

Find Asthma Information Resources below in the sections titled: Journals, Databases, Reports, Websites, Books, and Guidelines.

Journals - Open Access

The following open access journals are web-accessible freely available to everyone. Both are indexed in PubMed.

Databases

PubMed/MEDLINE
PubMed comprises more than 22 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, and life science journals. Citations may include links to free full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.
MeSH (Medical Subject Headings - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh) is the NLM controlled vocabulary thesaurus used for indexing articles for PubMed.
The following suggested MeSH terms can be used to refine search results:
- Asthma
- Asthma, Aspirin-Induced
- Asthma, Exercise-Induced
- Asthma, Occupational
- Status Asthmaticus
MedlinePlus - Asthma
MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues.

Reports

Action Against Asthma A Strategic Plan for the Department of Health and Human Services May 2000
Prologue: From 1980 to 1996, the number of Americans with asthma more than doubled, to almost fifteen million, with children under five years old experiencing the highest rate of increase. And the problem is not limited to children. Asthma is the leading work-related lung disease. Moreover, the disease kills over 5,000 Americans and results in half a million hospitalizations every year. Minorities and the poor are hit especially hard.

Asthma Burden in Virginia - July 2016 Asthma is a long term chronic lung disease affecting people of all ages, often starts in childhood, and causes swelling of the airways resulting in trouble breathing. Asthma is not curable but it is a manageable condition and often decreases in severity over time. While potentially life-threatening, normal activities are usually possible with good medical care. However, the cost of medication is an obstacle to optimal asthma care, particularly for disadvantaged populations.

Asthma Care Quality Improvement A Resource Guide for State Action
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), as part of its mission to translate research into practice and improve health care quality, develops products to assist State officials who aim to improve asthma care in their States.
Additional updates to the text and data were made in July 2009.
Chronic Care for Low-Income Children with Asthma Strategies for Improvement
Changes in the delivery of chronic care for children with asthma can improve the appropriate use of medications, and treatment strategies focused on the needs of racial and ethnic minorities can reduce asthma care disparities, according to research funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and others.

Websites

AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange
The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality created the Health Care Innovations Exchange to speed the implementation of new and better ways of delivering health care. The Innovations Exchange supports the Agency's mission to improve the quality of health care and reduce disparities.
Search this website's "Innovations & Quality Tools" feature for resources on many health conditions.
American Thoracic Society - Asthma Center
The American Thoracic Society fosters the gathering, evaluating, and disseminating of scientific and clinical information. This Web page provides clinical information about asthma.
Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma: Guidelines for Health Care Providers
National Environmental Education Foundation's "Environmental Management of Asthma: Guidelines for Health Care Providers" Page last updated: July 12, 2012
Guide for State Health Agencies in the Development of Asthma Programs
A 35-page guide to assist asthma program staff in state health departments to develop and implement asthma control programs. [Published in 2003]
National Asthma Control Initiative (NACI) for Health Care Professionals
National Guideline Clearinghouse - Asthma
NGC is a public resource for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.
Virginia Asthma Coalition
The Virginia Asthma Coalition (VAC) is a group of organizations and individuals devoted to reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with asthma. May is national asthma awareness month and May 7th is World Asthma Day. To increase public awareness of asthma in Virginia, we have developed our “Close the CASE on Asthma” campaign.

Books

Breathing Exercises and/or Retraining Techniques in the Treatment of Asthma: Comparative Effectiveness by O’Connor E, Patnode CD, Burda BU, et al.
Publication Date: 2012

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US): Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No. 71.
Objectives: To examine evidence for whether breathing exercises and retraining techniques lead to improvements in asthma symptoms, reductions in asthma medication use, improved quality of life, or improved pulmonary function in asthma sufferers.
[To read, download PDF version of this title (2.3M)]
Closing the Quality Gap: A Critical Analysis of Quality Improvement Strategies (Vol. 5: Asthma Care) by Bravata DM, Sundaram V, Lewis R, et al.
Publication Date: 2007

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US): Technical Reviews, No. 9.5.
The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence that quality improvement (QI) strategies can improve the processes and outcomes of outpatient care for children and adults with asthma.
[To read, download PDF version of this title (4.4M)]
Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures by Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Institute of Medicine
ISBN: 9780309064965
Publication Date: 2000

Since about 1980, asthma prevalence and asthma-related hospitalizations and deaths have increased substantially, especially among children. Of particular concern is the high mortality rate among African Americans with asthma.
Drug Class Review: Quick-relief Medications for Asthma: Final Report - Update 1 [Internet] by Norris SL, McNally TK, Thakurta S. Oregon Health & Science University
Publication Date: 2008

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. In susceptible individuals this inflammation causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, cough, and other symptoms. Asthma medications fall into 2 general classes: medications for long-term control and medications for quick relief of airflow obstruction and symptoms.
Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction and Asthma by Dryden DM, Spooner CH, Stickland MK, et al.
Publication Date: 2010

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US): Evidence Reports/Technology Assessments, No. 189.
[To read online, download PDF version of this title (5.7M) from the report's title link]
Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma by National Asthma Education and Prevention Program
Publication Date: 2007

The Expert Panel Report 3 was commissioned by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP), and coordinated by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. The Expert Panel organized the literature review and final guidelines report around four essential components of asthma care, namely: assessment and monitoring, patient education, control of factors contributing to asthma severity, and pharmacologic treatment.
[To read online, click on links in the report's Table of Contents - or - download the PDF version of this title (3.8M)]