Take a Breath and Think About Respiratory Health

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PDF printable version of Take a Breath and Think About Respiratory Health (PDF 22 KB)

27 June 2012

As part of World Spirometry Day activities being held today, Australians are being encouraged to take a deep breath and think about their lung and respiratory health.

“Our lungs and respiratory system have a significant impact on our overall health, so I urge everyone to speak to their GP if they experience any difficulties,” the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King, said.

“Respiratory conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, affect millions of Australians and can be exacerbated by smoking and environmental factors. They are the most common group of conditions being managed by Australia’s GPs, accounting for around 20 per cent of their cases, and are a factor in around 11,000 deaths each year.

“World Spirometry Day raises awareness of spirometry—a simple and effective method of testing a person’s lung function which can provide important information in determining overall health and wellbeing.

“The National Asthma Council (NAC) has today launched two updated information resources that will raise awareness of the importance of spirometry and provide guidelines for health professionals who conduct them.

“The consumer pamphlet—A guide for breathing tests for asthma—provides clear information to patients on what a spirometry test is, why it is important and how it is done. The information paper for health professionals—Asthma and Lung Function Tests—provides evidence-based guidelines for how to conduct a spirometry test, how to interpret the results and tips on purchasing a spirometer.

“The resources will be available nationally from the NAC’s website and from Asthma Australia,” she said.

The NAC is funded by the Department of Health and Ageing to raise awareness of asthma and lung health, and to run national spirometry training courses. In the current program which began in 2010, the NAC has trained 238 GPs and 582 practice nurses across Australia.

For more information about the NAC’s spirometry training and copies of its resources, please see: http://www.nationalasthma.org.au.

For more information, contact the parliamentary secretary’s office on 02 6277 4230