332 Project for Prevention & Control of Asthma and Allergic Diseases in Korea

BACKGROUND: The prevalence rate of allergic disease, one of chronic diseases, has been recently increased due to changes of life style and numerous environmental factors. In May 2007, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea established the comprehensive countermeasures to prevent and control asthma and allergic disease in Korea and has pushed ahead with this project related associations and academic experts together. METHODS: To improve the quality of life, reduce social and economic burden through getting over allergic diseases, the evidence based healthcare policy should be established about prevention and control of allergic diseases ; 1) Campaign & education 2) Proper treatment & control 3) Construction of environment friendly living 4) Construction of investigation, monitoring and alert systems 5) Support the disadvantaged patients. RESULTS: This project has moved ahead according to each 5 major program ; 1) Establish and provide guideline for prevention & control, promote prevention & control measures by cooperating with the private sector, operate an education & information center for asthma and allergic disease, 2) Provide & educate standard treatment guidelines, program development for a patient's self-treatment & control, 3) Create asthma and allergic disease friendly school, improve the living environment to control the trigger of asthma and allergic disease, 4) Establish an surveillance and monitoring system for asthma and allergic disease, study on asthma & allergic diseases; cohort study, develop and forecast an asthma index, 5) Support the patients of the disadvantaged with treatment, improve the living environment of the disadvantaged patients CONCLUSIONS: We expect that evidence based healthcare policy about prevention and control of allergic diseases would improve the quality of life by reduction inducing factor for allergic diseases, and minimize the recurrence and aggravation by realization of the proper treatment and control the trigger for asthma and allergic diseases.