Smoking ban has led to a 5% fall in emergency hospital admissions for asthma

  • Number of adult asthma patients needing urgent treatment has fallen by 6,000 since smoking ban
  • Emergency admissions for heart attacks and childhood asthma-related problems have also fallen

By Emma Innes

Published: 17:39 EST, 15 April 2013 | Updated: 17:39 EST, 15 April 2013

Emergency hospital admissions for asthma-related problems have dropped since the smoking ban

Emergency hospital admissions for asthma-related problems have dropped since the smoking ban

Emergency hospital admissions for asthma-related problems have dropped since the smoking ban, new figures have revealed.

Researchers from the University of Bath found the number of hospital visits for patients who required urgent treatment dropped by almost 2,000 in the first year of the ban.

They continued to fall for the next two years - leading to a total drop of almost 6,000 admissions in hospitals around the UK for those aged 16 and over.

This equates to a five per cent fall in totally admissions for asthma-related emergencies.

Experts from the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies examined the number of emergency admissions for asthma from April 1997 to December 2010.

The Health Act made it illegal to smoke in enclosed public places and workplaces from July 1, 2007.

Dr Michelle Sims, author of the University of Bath paper, said the research showed the benefits of the law.

She said: ‘Second hand smoke exposure has significant adverse health effects on the adult respiratory system with current evidence suggesting that it contributes to the onset and exacerbation of asthma.

‘There is already evidence that smoke free legislation in England is associated with reductions in second hand smoke exposure among non-smoking adults and fewer emergency hospital admissions for heart attacks and childhood asthma.

‘Our findings show that these health benefits extend to adult asthma.’

As part of the Department of Health funded study, researchers examined monthly numbers of emergency admissions for asthma between 1997 and 2010.

England currently has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world, with around 5.9 per cent of the population diagnosed with the condition

England currently has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world, with around 5.9 per cent of the population diagnosed with the condition

They compared the data to rates recorded in the ten years before the introduction of the smoking ban.

After taking into account trends in admissions and variations of other factors, such as seasonal flu and temperature, they discovered a drop of 4.9 per cent.

England currently has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world, with around 5.9 per cent of the population diagnosed with the condition.

Professor Anna Gilmore, who led the study, said: ‘Our findings add to the expanding body of evidence that smoke free policies are associated with positive health outcomes.’

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