Warning to students amid fears of rise in asthma admissions

The NHS has been warned to brace for an influx of students suffering from asthma attacks as colder weather sets in.

New analysis indicates a significant rise in the number of emergency hospital admissions for asthma attacks among 15 to 24-year-olds between summer and autumn.

Asthma and Lung UK said students may be particularly vulnerable due to their living conditions such as mould and damp in their accommodation.

Exposure to viruses and air pollution can also contribute, the charity said.

One student described seeking emergency care 20 times in two years after starting university.

Chloe Fox, 20, a tourism student at the University of West London, said: “I was diagnosed with asthma when I was little, but for years I had no problem with my breathing.

“When I was 16, my asthma started going downhill and I needed my reliever inhaler again.

“When I moved from Bristol to London for university, things got so much worse, and since then I’ve ended up in A&E on 20 different occasions and have been blue lit to hospital several times.

“My symptoms come on so suddenly and it’s terrifying as I’m often too breathless to ask for help, and at times I’ve been convinced I was going to die.

“I’ve had to change my inhaler regime three times in the last 18 months and each time the medication has got stronger, and I live in constant fear of collapsing alone from an asthma attack.”

She added: “Nobody can really say why my asthma has got so bad, but I think it has a lot to do with the terrible air pollution in London.

“My accommodation in my first and second years was dusty, damp, and mouldy which really affected my breathing too.

“It also didn’t help that when one person picked up a cold or virus, we all ended up with it. University is a difficult place to have asthma as so many people vape and smoke, and there’s little awareness of how serious it can be.”

New Asthma and Lung UK analysis of four years of NHS hospital data shows a 69% rise in admissions among 15 to 24-year-olds in September, October and November compared with June, July and August.

The charity is calling for students in particular to prepare for colder months by taking their inhalers as prescribed, registering with a GP, and knowing what to do if they have an asthma attack.

Dr Andrew Whittamore, clinical lead at the charity, said: “Students with asthma need to make sure they have everything in place to control their asthma in the coming months.

“Winter is a difficult time for anyone with a lung condition as respiratory viruses really start to circulate and emergency admissions rise.

“A new student might be exposed to different triggers for the first time, such as damp, mould, air pollution, new pollens, alcohol, smoke, and vapour which can all have an impact on their breathing.

“It is vital that young people with asthma who are moving away from home for the first time really take charge of their condition, especially at this time of year.

“This is why we are urging students to get their flu vaccinations now, to make sure their asthma action plans are up to date, and to be vigilant about having their inhalers with them and taking their asthma medication as prescribed.”