1800 278 462
Asthma Australia has been awarded $11.55 million in funding through the Australian Government’s Chronic Conditions Prevention and Integrated Care Grants Program to deliver Healthy Lungs for Life, a national initiative designed to improve asthma outcomes for children and young people and reduce their risk of chronic disease later in life.
Asthma is the leading cause of disease burden among children under 15. Around 800,000 Australians under 25 live with asthma and every 13 minutes a child presents to hospital with asthma. Yet many of these episodes and their impacts can be prevented through better education, earlier intervention and coordinated care.
Led by Asthma Australia, Healthy Lungs for Life will establish the National Children’s Asthma Alliance with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA), the University of Newcastle and Southern Cross University’s SISTAQUIT program. Together, the partners will connect trusted information, frontline healthcare and evidence-based programs to make prevention and effective asthma care easier to access, wherever families live.
“Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions affecting Australian children, yet too many young people still end up in hospital with preventable asthma flare-ups,” Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler said.
“This investment will help children and families access the information, support and coordinated care they need to better manage asthma and build healthier futures.”
“The Albanese Government is strengthening the prevention and management of chronic conditions by investing in practical projects that will improve outcomes for Australians affected by these conditions,” Mr Butler said.
Asthma Australia CEO Kate Miranda said the funding was an important investment in children’s health and the prevention of chronic disease.
“Through the National Children’s Asthma Alliance, we look forward to reducing the burden of asthma for children and young people, giving parents the knowledge and support they need and helping more children stay well, active and out of hospital,” Ms Miranda said.
“Too many children end up in hospital with asthma when they don’t need too. The things that help keep a child’s asthma under control, like being active, eating well and growing up in smoke free environments, are the same things that protect them from heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions later in life. Childhood is our best chance to set children up for lifelong health.”
Healthy Lungs for Life will include a national online hub giving families trusted information and practical support from pregnancy to young adults, and an asthma management tool built into the software GPs already use. It will also give extra support to pregnant women, to teenagers taking over their own asthma care and to families in regional and remote areas and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
“We thank the Australian Government for recognising the importance of investing in prevention and integrated care. This 3.5 year funding grant will help us move beyond responding to asthma attacks to improving health early, when we have the greatest opportunity to make a difference,” Ms Miranda said.
Alliance partner, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), welcomed the initiative.
“Rural and remote families should have the same access to high-quality asthma care as families in major cities, and this initiative will help rural generalists put the latest evidence into practice and reach communities where support is hardest to access,” said Marita Cowie, CEO, ACRRM.
Families who want help with their child’s asthma now can call Asthma Australia’s free 1800 ASTHMA Helpline (1800 278 462) or visit asthma.org.au
For more information contact: Asthma Australia media team: 0494 660 484
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Notes to editors
Healthy Lungs for Life will deliver five connected areas of work:
- Establish the National Children’s Asthma Hub, a nationally accessible source of trusted information, practical tools, care navigation and personalised digital self-management support from pregnancy to young adulthood.
- Help children live healthier, more active lives by addressing physical inactivity, obesity, nutrition and tobacco exposure, including increasing awareness and uptake of SISTAQUIT’s culturally safe maternal smoking cessation support.
- Bring evidence-based asthma care into everyday general practice through a clinical decision support tool integrated into GP software, alongside education for healthcare professionals.
- Improve support at important life stages, including during pregnancy and as young people transition from parent-led asthma care to independently managing their asthma as they move into adulthood.
- Support families facing barriers to care, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those living in regional and remote Australia, through multilingual resources and targeted outreach.
The initiative is designed to leave a lasting legacy. Digital resources and support will remain available through Asthma Australia, clinical tools will be embedded in participating general practices and education and proven partner programs will continue through established platforms.
Additional Alliance partner and clinical quotes
Tanya Vogt, Interim CEO, APNA: “Primary health care nurses have a vital role in prevention, education and ongoing asthma management, and this partnership will equip more nurses to support children and families before asthma becomes a crisis.”
Professor Vanessa Murphy, University of Newcastle: “By expanding awareness and use of our evidence-based Asthma in Pregnancy Toolkit, we can help more women and healthcare professionals make informed decisions that improve the health of mothers and babies.”
Dr Nicole Ryan, SISTAQUIT: “This partnership will help more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their healthcare teams connect with culturally safe, evidence-based support for healthier pregnancies and stronger beginnings for babies.”
Clinical Professor John Blakey, Clinical Co-Lead, Healthy Lungs for Life: “Healthy Lungs for Life is an important step towards improving asthma outcomes for all children and young people. By strengthening prevention, supporting families and helping healthcare professionals put the latest evidence into practice, we have an opportunity to reduce preventable hospitalisations and support better long-term physical, mental and societal outcomes.”
Conjoint Professor Paul Robinson, Clinical Co-Lead, Healthy Lungs for Life: “Good asthma care is about preventing attacks, not simply treating them, and this initiative will help translate current clinical evidence into consistent care and better long-term outcomes, not only for our children with asthma during their childhood but for their long-term adult health.”
Dr Chris Pearce, rural generalist and Asthma Australia Board member: “Putting practical clinical guidance into the software GPs already use can make evidence-based asthma care easier to deliver during a busy consultation, especially in rural and remote practice.”
