Asthma resource hub
Looking for up-to-date information on asthma? You can find it here!
We’ve linked resources from multiple providers into one place so it’s easy for you to find what you need.
Please contact us if you know of other asthma resources that could be added to the hub.
Clinical education resources from He Ako Hiringa
ARTICLE: Asthma: thinking SMART, using AIR, and making a difference
New guidelines were published in 2020, incorporating recent advances in the management of asthma and recognising inequities in asthma care experienced by Māori and Pacific peoples. This article discusses current recommendations from the Asthma & Respiratory Foundation NZ.
BULLETIN: Guidelines step towards improved asthma outcomes
Hospitalisation and death due to asthma are unacceptably high for Māori and Pacific peoples – and little has changed over the past 18 years. Bulletin #17 highlights the 2020 Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ (ARFNZ) asthma guidelines, which include recommendations to improve care in Māori and Pacific peoples.
DATA: EPiC Asthma Dashboard
The EPiC Asthma dashboard can help you to review the management of your patients against the 2020 Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand (ARFNZ) best practice guidelines. You will need a He Ako Hiringa account to view your personal prescribing data.
EPiC Reflect Asthma
EPiC Reflect Asthma helps you to delve into your EPiC data, contemplate your prescribing, reflect on your current practice, and set goals and actions. Available as an editable PDF document, EPiC Reflect helps you to incorporate your learning into your everyday practice.
VIDEO: Talking asthma - The power of the basics
Intended for all members of the healthcare team, this video explores improving asthma outcomes and achieving health equity by making effective connections with patients and whānau.
Readings and resources from other providers
ASTHMA ACTION PLANS
The following resources are all available from NZ Respiratory Guidelines in several languages, downloadable and orderable in print.
- Acute Asthma Management Flowcharts
- Adult Asthma Action Plans
- Asthma Action Plan Peak Flow Wheel
- Child Asthma Action Plan (including editable digital documents for completing online and emailing to whānau or saving on their health portal)
- Child Asthma Symptom Diary
- Interactive Adult Asthma Action Plans
ASTHMA CONTROL TEST
The Asthma Control Test is a way to help you determine if your patient's asthma symptoms are well controlled.
ASTHMA GUIDELINES: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ
The following resources are all available at nzrespiratoryguidelines.co.nz
COURSE: ARFNZ Asthma & COPD fundamentals eLearning course
Provided by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ, this course is designed for all registered health professionals including nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and GPs. Updated in February 2021.
COURSE: Asthma New Zealand, Nurse Education in Asthma Treatment (NEAT)
This full-day, in-person or online course suitable for nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, GPs and other qualified health professionals.
DATA: Health Quality and Safety Commission (HQSC)
Atlas of Healthcare Variation
The asthma domain of the Atlas of Healthcare Variation gives clinicians, patients and providers an overview of asthma admission rates and medicine use by district health board (DHB). View the asthma domain of the Atlas.
Measures Library
The measures library is a repository of information about measures of the health care system. This includes technical documents, information related to quality improvement, case documents and data visualisations. View the Measures Library and search for "asthma".
GINA POCKET GUIDE: Asthma Management & Prevention (for adults and children older than 5y)
This guide from the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) provides advice on asthma management and prevention for adults and children older than 5 years.
GINA REPORT: Global Strategy for Asthma Management & Prevention 2020
This report from the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) contains recommendations for clinical practice and brief supporting evidence. Updated 2022.
INHALER IDENTIFICATION CHART
This chart from Asthma & Respiratory Foundation NZ provides images of different inhaler types for easy identification.
PATIENT INHALER DECISION AID
The UK’s National Institute for Clinical Excellence has a patient inhaler decision aid that contains information to help adults with asthma and their healthcare professionals when discussing options for inhaler devices.
REPORT: The impact of respiratory disease in New Zealand - 2020 update
This report from the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation explores the impact of respiratory disease in New Zealand. Written by Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard and Jane Zhang.
Other relevant reading
CULTURAL SAFETY
This Cultural Safety webpage from the Medical Council of New Zealand lists key documents and resources for health professionals to learn about cultural safety and bias, and examine their practice.
HEALTH LITERACY
Health Quality & Safety Commission New Zealand's The Three steps to meeting health literacy needs / Ngā toru hīkoi e mōhiotia ai te hauora is a guide for health professionals. It was developed in the context of achieving equitable health outcomes for Māori and maintaining cultural safety, reinforcing useful knowledge/skills, building on them and checking how effective the process has been.
HEALTH EQUITY
'Asthma education in primary care: A focus on improving outcomes for Māori and Pacific peoples' is an article produced by BPACnz that looks at the disproportionate asthma burden experienced by Māori and Pacific peoples.
REPORT: Asthma in New Zealand 2023 survey findings
In late April 2023, the Asthma + Respiratory Foundation NZ sent out a survey asking New Zealanders with asthma to share their experiences. The Foundation were interested in finding out how people were managing their asthma post COVID-19. Almost 500 people responded to the survey, and their responses showed that too many New Zealanders are living with poorly controlled asthma, and many are not accessing the basic care and management tools they need.
REPORT: He Māramatanga Huangā - Asthma Health Literacy for Māori Children in New Zealand
This 2015 report presents findings of the He Māramatanga Huangō (Understanding Asthma) research project commissioned from the University of Otago by the Ministry of Health and the Asthma Foundation of New Zealand.
REVIEW: Tofa Saili - A review of evidence about health equity for Pacific peoples in New Zealand
This 2019 review from Pacific Perspectives Limited describes the health equity issues faced by Pacific families and communities and highlights approaches based on Pacific values and the strengths of Pacific communities.
Patient resources
ARFNZ resources - for patients and clinicians
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ has a dedicated page of resources (many are downloadable) for patients, carers and health professionals, including guidelines, diaries, teachers’ toolkits, parental educational resources, checklists and asthma first aid posters.
Asthma New Zealand resources
Asthma New Zealand has many resources (some downloadable) providing education and support to people with asthma and their whānau, including young people and children.
Asthma societies: location/map
This map from the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ shows where its affiliated asthma societies and groups are located. These regional partners provide friendly, specialised support, information and resources to assist people with respiratory disease manage their health. Services are either free or for a small fee.
Services include:
- One-on-one advice about asthma and respiratory health
- Home visits
- Asthma and COPD support groups
- Spirometry testing (lung function testing)
- Training for respiratory health professionals
- Society membership
HealthEd resources: Becoming smokefree
This booklet from HealthEd contains smoking cessation advice and techniques for patients.
Healthy Homes: Healthy housing to reduce respiratory illness
This webpage from the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ contains advice around how to improve home health to help reduce respiratory illness.
Health Navigator resources
Health Navigator New Zealand provides a range of written and video resources about inhaler devices - what they are, the different types, and how to use them.
Inhaler technique videos - for patients and clinicians
National Asthma Council Australia provides a range of videos that demonstrate correct inhaler technique.
Click here to view the National Asthma Council Australia videos.
Health Navigator NZ also provides a series of how-to-use videos.
My Asthma App (ARFNZ)
This app from the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ provides educational information on asthma. It allows people to create a digital version of their individualised asthma action plan with their health professional, and contains information about asthma signs and symptoms, triggers, treatment, medicines, Asthma Control Test, and helpful contacts and resources.
Click below to download the app for: