WELSH HOTSPOTS WITH HIGHEST EMERGENCY ADMISSION AND DEATH RATES FOR LUNG CONDITIONS REVEALED

Merthyr Tydfil, Wrexham and Denbighshire have some of the highest emergency admission and death rates for lung conditions in Wales, according to analysis by Asthma + Lung UK Cymru, as it urges the Welsh Government to end the lung health lottery by investing in earlier diagnosis, improved care, and respiratory research and innovation

People in places such as Merthyr Tydfil, Wrexham and Denbighshire are amongst the most likely to be admitted to hospital in an emergency and die from their lung condition in the UK, according to new analysis from leading lung charity Asthma + Lung UK Cymru.¹

The charity is urging Welsh Government to ensure everyone gets an early diagnosis for their lung condition and once diagnosed receives support and information, as well as tackle unacceptably high rates of air pollution and smoking, which lead to lung conditions developing and worsening.

The charity, which has launched its End the Lung Health Lottery campaign, analysed and ranked the latest rates of emergency hospital admissions and deaths from lung conditions including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and respiratory infections like flu and pneumonia, for 22 local authorities throughout Wales.

Asthma + Lung UK Cymru says that despite the tireless work of NHS doctors and nurses across the health boards in Wales, basic levels of care for people with lung conditions is patchy. The reasons for such high rates of emergency admissions and deaths in some areas is likely due to health inequalities.² 

Many of the areas with poor lung health are areas where people experience higher levels of deprivation, which can lead to problems like having no choice but to live in poor quality housing, where cold, damp and mould can all be triggers for asthma attacks or cause lung conditions to worsen.

They are also areas with historically higher smoking rates. These factors mean that even if people were able to move to areas with lower emergency admissions and death rates, they wouldn’t necessarily experience better outcomes for their lung condition if underlying causes such as smoking, poor housing and exposure to air pollution aren’t addressed.

In addition, across the UK, an historic lack of investment into lung research and innovation has also contributed to poor lung health.

Asthma + Lung UK Cymru’s analysis found:

• Merthyr Tydfil, Wrexham and Denbighshire topped the rankings as having the highest rates of emergency hospital admissions and deaths for lung conditions in Wales.
• Ceredigion, Monmouthshire and Powys had the lowest rates of emergency admissions and deaths for lung conditions in Wales.
• 8 out of the 10 areas ranked highest for emergency admissions and deaths are in South Wales. These places were Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Cardiff, Bridgend, Blaenau Gwent, Neath Port Talbot and Torfaen. Many of these areas where people experience poor lung health such as Blaenau Gwent, Neath Port Talbot and Torfaen are also areas where people experience higher levels of deprivation
• Some of the areas facing high death and emergency admission rates also have increased levels of air pollution. Levels of PM 2.5, the most dangerous type of air pollution to human health, in Cardiff (ranking at number 22) are almost twice the levels than Ceredigion, which has one of the lowest emergency admission and death rates (ranking at number 1)
• High smoking rates in some areas also play a part in the high rates of emergency admissions and deaths seen, for example, in Blaenau Gwent, where an estimated fifth of the adult population smoke.³

Asthma + Lung UK Cymru wants to ensure everyone with a lung condition gets diagnosed early so they are better able to manage their condition and are more likely to get treatment before it worsens, which would help reduce emergency hospital admissions. The charity is also concerned that vital diagnostic testing for lung conditions was suspended during the pandemic and in many areas is not fully back up and running again.

Currently, in the UK lung conditions are the third biggest killer yet they only receive 2% of public investment into research. The charity is therefore urging the Government to increase funding for research and innovation into lung conditions that could save and transform millions of lives.

Jo, aged 47, has severe asthma and moved to Merthyr 10 years ago, she said:

“Since moving to the area my breathing has got considerably worse. At one time I was being admitted to hospital up to 8 times a year. Having an asthma attack feels like your drowning, the more air you try and get into your lungs, the more air goes out.”

“In 2013, I tragically lost my husband to a brain tumour and moved to Merthyr for a fresh start. That’s when I started to really worry about my breathing. It really hit home, my children were just 6 & 10 at the time, it was just me and them. I worried what would happen to them if I was rushed to hospital or even worse a fatal asthma attack? I was determined my children wouldn’t lose both of us.

“My asthma attacks can come on suddenly, without much warning. One minute you’re fine, the next, fighting for breath. Having an asthma attack feels like your drowning, the more air you try to get into your lungs, the more air goes out. As soon as my children were old enough to speak, I taught them how to dial 999 and call for an ambulance. They are older now and I’m so lucky to have them. As soon as they hear my nebuliser, a machine which helps me to breathe, they run upstairs to check if I’m ok.

“I was diagnosed with asthma at 18 and since then it has got progressively worse. After years of struggling and trying countless medications and inhalers, I was finally offered a biologic treatment called Mepolizumab. I was one of the first people to trial it in Wales. 

“Both my grandmothers who are from the Valleys died of a lung condition. One from an asthma attack and the other from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). I often wonder why is it so bad here? What can be done to help children grow up healthy and not breathe the air we did? I now want to help raise awareness about how serious asthma is, to prevent other families going through what we have.

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma + Lung UK Cymru, said:

“It’s appalling that people across Wales are struggling to breathe, are being rushed to hospital in an emergency and that so many are dying avoidably from their lung conditions. We know that people in more deprived areas are more likely to have worse lung health, often with no choice but to live in poorer quality housing, more polluted areas with higher smoking rates. We need to tackle the lung health lottery head on.

“This year the Welsh Government published its Quality Statement for Respiratory Disease, but without funding, it remains uncertain how we are going to tackle the poor respiratory health in Wales head on.

“To do better, the Welsh Government must address stark inequality in lung health and ensure the NHS has the resources to support its dedicated staff. People at risk of or living with lung conditions can’t simply move to improve their lung health, it is health inequality we must battle. The Welsh Government must ensure people living with a lung condition get an early diagnosis, have help quitting smoking, can breathe good quality air and receive the right support and treatment to manage their lung condition well. We’re here to help everyone with a lung condition, wherever they are, and we want to urge everyone to take lung conditions seriously by joining our End the Lung Health Lottery campaign.”

Asthma + Lung UK wants to reassure the millions of people in the UK living with lung conditions that it can provide help and support wherever they live. If you are worried about any lung symptoms or your lung condition you can give our Helpline team a call on 0300 222 5800 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) and visit our website, which has vital health information on topics such as managing your COPD and health advice about asthma. The charity also has more than 150 support groups up and down the country offering support and advice.⁴ 

Asthma + Lung UK previously found that people with a lung condition are more likely to die in the UK than anywhere else in Europe.

Find out more and get involved in our End the Lung Health Lottery campaign. https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/end-lung-health-lottery-Ends-