Bermuda Student Asthma Registry Now Open
Minister of Health Kim Wilson is “encouraging parents to register their children who have asthma on the 2022/23 Bermuda Student Asthma Registry.”
A Government spokesperson said, “The registry is accessible online and provides local asthma healthcare providers, as well as the ministries of Health and Education, the ability to track and ensure proper supports are in place for students with asthma. If your child has asthma, or you suspect they might, please add their information to the 2022/2023 Bermuda Student Asthma Registry today. Access here.
“The registry is a collaborative effort of the Department of Education, the Department of Health, Bermuda Hospitals Board [BHB] – Asthma Education Centre and Open Airways, a Bermuda registered charity. Information given is held as strictly confidential.”
“The goal is to improve and assist students with asthma to have the healthiest year possible,” said Minister of Health, Kim Wilson. “Parents are asked to submit their information each September to ensure accuracy as students’ health and school details can change. Registering annually also allows our asthma specialists to afford the most up-to-date assessment of affected students.”
Minister Wilson said, “Statistics show that approximately one in five school children in Bermuda has asthma, that’s 20 percent.”
Asthma nurse Liz Boden, co-founder of Open Airways, said, “With proper treatment and control, these students should not be missing school due to their asthma and should be able to participate in all school activities, including sports.”
The 2021/22 Student Asthma Registry has 451 students listed.
Ms. Boden said, “We estimate this to be approximately 50% of the actual total number of Bermuda students with asthma. An analysis of the 2021/2022 information shows that there is still much work to be done.”
The spokesperson said, “2021/22 Student Asthma Registry results:
- Almost half of all students with asthma missed days of school. A student with controlled asthma should not miss any days of school.
- While 73% of students with asthma believed their asthma was ‘well-controlled’, 33% of those students missed days of school due to asthma.
- 31% of students were either using their spacer [a small asthma control device] incorrectly or did not have a spacer at all. Using a spacer helps the inhaled medication to work more effectively and efficiently with less side effects.
BHB and Department of Health asthma nurse educator Debbie Barboza said, “Our collaborative team of health providers is working with the primary aim of ensuring every child with asthma receives the proper guidance and assistance they need with their asthma to have a healthy and successful school year.
“Highly skilled asthma nurses will review the statistics of the survey and will target their assistance to those most in need.”
Ms. Boden said, “To assist with these efforts, Open Airways will deliver free spacers and offer spacer technique demos at various locations island wide.”
For further information, contact Mary Ellen Ewles at mary@openairways.com.
