State of the Region's Health Report 2002 - Focus on Asthma

The State of the Region's Health 2002 (PDF 842KB, 30 pages) is one of a series of reports that highlight important health issues and trends in the Region of Peel. The State of the Region's Health 2002 report focuses on asthma, a common chronic respiratory disease that affects people of all ages but is more prevalent in children and adolescents. Other reports in the series include State of the Region's Health 2001 (released in November 2001) and Child Health Report 2002.

This report focuses on these four main areas:

In each of the four topic areas, you will find highlights and a link to the complete chapter. An introduction, summary and a comprehensive list of references is also available. The Peel Health Facts section highlights the most recent health indicator data, including leading causes of hospitalizations, mortality and premature mortality, and selected reproductive health statistics.

Residents of the Region of Peel continue to enjoy relatively good health by provincial and national standards. Yet within this positive picture, many health challenges remain.

"Asthma can be controlled but it cannot be cured," said Dr. David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health for the Region of Peel. "Asthma often forces sufferers to restrict their activities, stay indoors, use medication and even miss school or work. Municipal governments in Peel have been active in addressing asthma triggers such as environmental tobacco smoke in public places and local sources of outdoor air pollution, but more needs to be done to help control this potentially deadly disease."