Disability fact file
Asthma and breathing disabilities
The most common breathing-related disability, which is especially becoming
increasingly common among children and young people. However, there are a number
of reasons why people have breathing disabilities, such as bronchitis, industrial
diseases such as emphysema, and heart conditions. Although these are very different
in medical terms, the social implications are similar in that they are aggravated
by the same factors, and lead to the same problems in capitalist society.
How are people with breathing disabilities handicapped by capitalism ?
- The main aggravating factor of breathing disabilities is pollution. Capitalism
has much to answer for in increasing pollution, especially the main cause
- increasing use of motor vehicles. The creation of out-of-town shopping areas,
the closure of local industries and people commuting to work further afield,
the increasing expense and decreasing reliability of public transport resulting
from privatisation, the increased need to transport goods made in fewer factories
due to cost-cutting and factory closures, have all led to spiralling use of
motor vehicles and the pollution which comes with it.
- A small number of employers (notably the military) still discriminate against
people with asthma. This problem has reduced significantly following a case
in 2000 when Ladbrokes were forced to allow people with asthma to work in
their betting shops, to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act. But
the problem has not gone away entirely.
- The continuing irresponsible marketing of tobacco means people are exposed
to passive smoking, which has an especially adverse effect on the health of
people with breathing disabilities. It also means people - including those
with breathing disabilities - continue to start smoking, and find it harder
to stop.
- A number of sports groups discriminate against people with breathing disabilities,
often (allegedly) on "health and safety" grounds. Kinda ironic,
when you consider that some sports are funded at high levels by sponsorship
from tobacco companies (see above) !
- Conditions such as emphysema have been caused by unsafe working conditions,
often aggravated by capitalist cost-cutting of safety measures. (The hypocrisy
of capitalism never fails to astound me - see above !)
How have (or may) the whole community benefited from measures
which benefit breathing-disabled people ?
- A reduction in pollution will improve the health and living conditions of
everyone, as pollutants are responsible also for causing ailments such as
cancer.
- A reduction in car use by an integrated transport policy will lead to many
advantages, such as a reduction in deaths caused by car accidents, and an
improvement in public transport which will benefit people without cars.
Famous people with breathing disabilities
- Alice Cooper
- Kenny G
- Bob Hope
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Martin Scorsese
- Steve Wright
- Che Guevara
Links
Back to Red Disability fact files