The Unmet Global Health Need of Severe and Complex Allergies: Meeting the Challenge

THE GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN OF ALLERGIC DISEASES AND ASTHMA Allergies affect up to 30 to 40% of the population worldwide, and the severity and complexity of allergic diseases, including asthma, continue to increase. This escalation in the prevalence of allergies is especially seen in children and young adults, and they bear the greatest burden of these trends. Globally, 300 million people suffer from asthma, and approximately 200 to 250 million people suffer from food allergies. One tenth of the population suffers from drug allergies, and 400 million suffers from rhinitis. Moreover, allergic diseases often commonly occur together in the same individual. With the increase in multiple allergies in a single patient and the increase in food allergies, anaphylaxis, and severe asthma, the impact of severe and complex allergies is considerable. Because of this, an integrated approach to diagnosis and treatment of allergies is required. This dramatic increase in the prevalence of allergies is observed as societies become more affluent and urbanized, outdoor and indoor pollution increase, and life style and dietary habits change. Other contributing factors are climate change and reduced biodiversity. This indicates the need for better environmental control measures. Furthermore, the economic costs of allergies and asthma are high both in terms of direct and indirect costs. Despite the high prevalence of allergy in the population, expert or specialist allergy treatment is very difficult to access in many countries, and there is a lack of appropriate training not only at the undergraduate level but also at the postgraduate level. The WAO White Book on Allergy from the World Allergy Organization (WAO) summarizes the burden of allergic diseases worldwide: risk factors, impact on the quality of life of patients, morbidity, mortality, socioeconomic consequences, recommended treatment strategies, future therapies, and the cost–benefit analyses of care.