Work

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated With Severe Asthma Care in the United Kingdom

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) Declaration on Climate and Health promotes steps to curb emissions and reduce waste in the health sector. Objective To describe and quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with severe asthma (SA) care in the United Kingdom, by carbon source and transition status from SA to severe uncontrolled asthma (SUA) and/or regular specialist care (RSC). Methods This was a cohort study using routinely collected data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum, Hospital Episode Statistics, and CO 2 equivalent emissions data. Patients were ≥12 years old at the index date (ie, date of first recorded inhaled corticosteroid [ICS] + controller prescription) with a validated asthma diagnosis. Total GHG emissions and GHG emissions related to medications, exacerbations, and health care resource utilization (HCRU) were estimated, overall and by transition along stages of the SA-SUA-RSC continuum. Five pathways and stage orders were identified: (1) SA, (2) SA-SUA, (3) SA-RSC, (4) SA-RSC-SUA, and (5) SA-SUA-RSC. Results The total CO 2 equivalent for the SA population (n = 93,054) was 2167 tonnes/10,000 patients/year. GHG emissions were 5.2% to 23.0% greater for patients transitioned to SUA (vs previous stage), mostly due to exacerbation-related emissions (4.2-7.7 times greater; predominantly hospitalizations) and medication-related emissions (3.5%-10.9% greater; predominantly short-acting β 2 -agonists [SABAs]). Conversely, total GHG emissions decreased by 12.1% to 23.9% for those referred to RSC, due to decreased exacerbation-related emissions (1.7-5.2 times lower; all sources) and medication-related emissions (14.8%-20.6% lower; both SABA and overall ICS). Conclusion Our findings suggest that RSC not only improves patient outcomes but also reduces GHG emissions in line with aims to reduce the health sector's contribution to the total national carbon footprint.

Source: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2025.02.012