In West Victoria, wood fires and pollen mean a lot of locals can’t breathe easy

Ballarat GP Matt Pilkington reckons, on average, he sees at least one patient an hour who has an asthma diagnosis. 

New research from the Torrens University Social Health Atlas shows that half of the Victorian Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the top band for asthma rates were in West Victoria. 

Of the top 16 LGAs across the state:

• Four are in the north-west (Mildura, Hindmarsh, Yarriambiack, Buloke).

• Three are in the central-west (Ballarat, Moorabool, Golden Plains).

• One is in the south-west (Warrnambool).

LGAs are considered to be in the top band if they hold an asthma age-standardised rate of 9.9 or higher per 100 population. The West Victorian LGAs of Ararat, Pyrenees and Horsham sit just outside the top band. 

The Social Health Atlas uses data from the last census, which was the first time information on long-term health conditions was collected. 

❓ Why are the rates higher? Board Member at Asthma Australia, Dr. Chris Pearce, says there are a range of reasons why West Victorians rate so highly on the asthma scale. 

• “In spring, you get a lot of pollen count problems, which increase reactivity, and there's a higher reliance on winter wood fire heating,” Pearce told the West Vic Brolga.

• “Problems with access to good medical care and lower socioeconomic status also contribute to increased asthma rates.” 

According to the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), East Victoria sees lower pollen counts due to westerly winds being curtailed by the Great Dividing Range. 

Meanwhile, the Victorian south coast is impacted by higher pollen counts due to most winds in the state coming from the north, where there are extensive grasslands. 

What's the impact? Across his asthma patients, Pilkington says many are “putting up with much, much more than they really should”.

• “Some are self-assessing that their asthma's mild as long as they stay away from certain trees and they don't push their exercise too hard. Well, that actually implies their asthma's poorly controlled by our standards,” he told the West Vic Brolga.

• “If there's bushfire smoke in the air, if it's a particularly bad pollen season, if there's a thunderstorm or if they get a virus, they’re the sorts of people who are at risk of landing up in emergency departments struggling to breathe.”

📈 What's changing? Asthma treatment has evolved over the last 15 years to better combat everyday asthma triggers. 

• “Lots of asthma sufferers from the past will know you had the blue puffer, you used it when you got sick, and that was it - now we’re emphasising constant treatment,” Pearce said. 

Pilkington said people with asthma should consult with their doctor every six to 12 months.