Epidemic thunderstorm asthma - resources for health professionals

Health professionals including general practitioners, pharmacists and nurses have a vital role to play in reducing the risk to the community from epidemic thunderstorm asthma events.

Optimising diagnosis, clinical care and self-management of asthma and hay fever is the key to responding to the risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma events. Such an approach will decrease the impact of any subsequent events while also improving the overall health and wellbeing of people with these conditions in between events.

Health professionals can access epidemic thunderstorm asthma training programs and resources, including:

• a thunderstorm asthma flowchart for pharmacists(opens in a new window)
• a resource for emergency departments and urgent care centres to facilitate self-assessment and gap analysis of preparedness for an epidemic thunderstorm asthma event.

• information to support community pharmacies to prepare their pharmacies and clients for the risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma:

Additional resources are also available from the National Asthma Council.

Reports

The department has also published two reports that provide useful background information for health professionals:

• The November 2016 Victorian epidemic thunderstorm asthma event: an assessment of the health impacts - a report by Victoria's Chief Health Officer
• Literature review on thunderstorm asthma and its implications for public health advice