Asthmatics ‘face significant discrimination from society’

Posted 20/07/2010

People with asthma are facing significant levels of discrimination because people do not believe the condition is serious, new research has found.

A report from Asthma UK and the Severe Asthma National Network discovered that 20 per cent of asthmatics suffer so badly from the disease they are frequently unable to work and cannot carry out basic tasks.

Despite the fact that 1,200 people die from asthma attacks every year, a quarter of a million people face discrimination because the public assumes it is a minor problem, the organisations said.

Joan O’Hagan, director of Asthma UK Northern Ireland, said asthmatics are leading hidden lives and missing out on the opportunities offered to others without the disability.

‘We’re calling on everyone who can make a difference to the lives of people with severe asthma to take action,’ she added.

Asthma affects more than five million people in Britain to varying degrees.

People who feel they have been discriminated against at work based on their disability may be able to take legal action.