Ireland Severe Asthma Index

Ireland is among the highest ranking in terms of Policy Context, due to having comprehensive severe asthma guidelines, a national asthma strategy and the existence of a severe asthma registry, as well as the second most comprehensive level of tobacco control laws. This has yet to translate into tangible improvements in Access and Care Coverage, where it ranks low due to limited diagnostics, including little to no use of FeNO for asthma characterisation, and specialist care. Ireland is also among the lowest ranking and shows significant room for improvement in terms of Health System Characteristics, owing to high levels of asthma-related hospitalisations, though patients spend on average fewer days in the hospital compared to most countries, and the lowest number of respiratory specialists per 100,000. Ireland scores highly in Environmental Factors and is slightly above the average due primarily to fairly low levels of population exposure to particulate matter.