| Course | HCA 205 Principles of Health and Disease |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 3 |
| Paper type | Respiratory disease paper |
| Length | About 1,039 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Aspen University |
| Program | Health Care Administration |
| Updated | September 2026 |
Free sample paper for HCA 205 Module 3
Every Breath Counts: Asthma, COPD and Pneumonia Compared
Student Name
Health Care Administration Program, Aspen University
HCA 205: Principles of Health and Disease
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Every Breath Counts: Asthma, COPD and Pneumonia Compared
Respiratory diseases range from conditions that begin in childhood and flare unpredictably to diseases that develop over decades of smoking and infections that strike suddenly. Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia are among the most common reasons for primary care visits, emergency visits and hospital stays. This paper compares these three diseases, using two composite patients to show how they appear and are managed.
Two Composite Patients
Jayden, a composite 9-year-old, has asthma triggered by colds and dust; he uses a rescue inhaler several times a week and has visited the emergency department twice this year. Mr. W., a composite 67-year-old retired truck driver, smoked for 40 years and quit five years ago; he now becomes breathless on a single flight of stairs, and two chest infections have kept him in bed this winter.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic disease in which the airways become inflamed and narrow in response to triggers such as viral infections, allergens, smoke, cold air and exercise. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, often at night. Spirometry showing airflow limitation that improves after a bronchodilator supports the diagnosis. Treatment uses inhaled corticosteroids to control inflammation and quick-relief inhalers for symptoms, along with avoiding triggers and a written action plan.
Asthma in the United States
National data show progress and persistent gaps. From 2010 to 2021, asthma attacks, emergency visits, hospital stays and deaths declined, but current asthma prevalence rose among adults, and prevalence was higher among non-Hispanic Black children, 12.5%, than non-Hispanic White children, 5.7% (Pate & Zahran, 2024). Jayden's frequent rescue inhaler use and emergency visits suggest his asthma is not well controlled.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
COPD is a progressive disease in which airflow is limited by damaged airways and air sacs, usually from long-term smoking, though air pollution and occupational dusts also contribute. Unlike asthma, the airflow limitation does not fully reverse. Symptoms include shortness of breath with activity, chronic cough and sputum. Spirometry confirms the diagnosis. Treatment includes quitting smoking, long-acting inhaled bronchodilators, pulmonary rehabilitation, vaccines and, in advanced disease, oxygen.
How Common COPD Is
COPD is common worldwide. A systematic review and modeling analysis estimated that in 2019, 10.3% of people aged 30 to 79 had COPD by the most widely used case definition, about 392 million people (Adeloye et al., 2022). Many cases are undiagnosed until the disease is advanced, which is why a history like Mr. W.'s should prompt spirometry.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of the lung's air sacs caused by bacteria, viruses or, less often, fungi. It causes fever, cough, shortness of breath and chest pain, and it can be severe in older adults, young children and people with chronic lung disease. A chest x-ray confirms the diagnosis. Treatment depends on the cause and severity, from oral antibiotics at home to hospital care. Pneumococcal and influenza vaccines reduce risk, especially for people like Mr. W.
Comparison
The table compares the three diseases.
| Feature | Asthma | COPD | Pneumonia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onset | Often childhood | Usually after 40 | Sudden |
| Main cause | Airway inflammation with triggers | Smoking, pollution | Infection |
| Reversible? | Largely | Not fully | Yes, with treatment |
| Key test | Spirometry with bronchodilator | Spirometry | Chest x-ray |
| Main prevention | Trigger control, controller medicine | Not smoking | Vaccines |
Smoking Cessation as Prevention
Tobacco causes more preventable illness and death than any other single factor in the United States, and in 2019 an estimated 14.0% of adults currently smoked cigarettes (US Preventive Services Task Force, 2021). The Task Force recommends that clinicians ask all adults about tobacco use, advise them to stop and provide behavioral support and approved medications. Quitting slows lung function loss in COPD and reduces pneumonia and asthma attacks.
Managing Jayden and Mr. W.
Jayden needs a daily inhaled corticosteroid, a written asthma action plan shared with his school and a review of home triggers. Mr. W. needs spirometry to confirm COPD, a long-acting bronchodilator, referral to pulmonary rehabilitation and up-to-date pneumococcal and influenza vaccines. Both need follow-up to check inhaler technique, which is often poor.
What a Practice Can Do
Practices can keep registries of patients with asthma and COPD, flag frequent rescue inhaler refills as a sign of poor control, offer spirometry on site, run vaccine reminders each fall and build tobacco screening into every visit. School forms and asthma action plans should be easy to request. These steps prevent emergency visits and hospital stays.
Diagnostic Tests in Detail
Spirometry measures how much air a person can breathe out and how fast. The key numbers are the forced vital capacity, the total air exhaled, and the forced expiratory volume in one second. A low ratio of the second to the first shows airflow limitation. In asthma, the ratio typically improves after a bronchodilator; in COPD, it remains low. Pulse oximetry measures blood oxygen and helps judge the severity of an asthma attack, COPD flare or pneumonia. A chest x-ray, though central to pneumonia, is usually normal in asthma and may show only overinflated lungs in COPD.
Costs of Poor Control
Poorly controlled respiratory disease is expensive. Emergency visits and hospital stays for asthma attacks and COPD flares cost far more than controller inhalers and follow-up visits. Yet controller inhalers can be costly for patients, and some stop using them when they feel well. Practices can help by checking insurance coverage for inhalers, suggesting lower-cost alternatives and teaching patients why daily controllers matter even between attacks.
Vaccines for Lung Health
Vaccines protect people with chronic lung disease from infections that can trigger severe flares. Yearly influenza vaccine is recommended for nearly everyone six months and older. Pneumococcal vaccines are recommended for older adults and for younger adults with conditions such as COPD or asthma, and a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus is now available for older adults. Tracking vaccine status in the record and offering vaccines at every visit raises coverage.
Conclusion
Asthma, COPD and pneumonia differ in cause, course and reversibility but share symptoms and some prevention strategies. Asthma is controlled by reducing inflammation and avoiding triggers, COPD is slowed above all by not smoking, and pneumonia is prevented partly by vaccines. Jayden and Mr. W. show that good control depends as much on follow-up and education as on medicine.
References
Adeloye, D., Song, P., Zhu, Y., Campbell, H., Sheikh, A., & Rudan, I. (2022). Global, regional, and national prevalence of, and risk factors for, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2019: A systematic review and modelling analysis. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 10(5), 447-458. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00511-7
Pate, C. A., & Zahran, H. S. (2024). The status of asthma in the United States. Preventing Chronic Disease, 21, Article E53. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd21.240005
US Preventive Services Task Force. (2021). Interventions for tobacco smoking cessation in adults, including pregnant persons: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA, 325(3), 265-279. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.25019
What the HCA 205 Module 3 instructions ask for
Respiratory disease is one of the organ systems named in Aspen's HCA 205 description, and because enrolled students alone see the module's wording, the respiratory unit set the topic here. Respiratory assignments usually ask you to describe several diseases of the lungs and airways, including causes, symptoms, tests, treatment and prevention, and sometimes to compare them. Check whether your prompt names specific diseases. Asthma and COPD are often paired because students confuse them, so explaining the difference clearly earns credit. Include at least one statistic for each disease and explain what the key diagnostic test measures, not only its name. Where space permits, vaccines deserve a paragraph, since they prevent many serious lung infections.
Inside the HCA 205 Module 3 example
This sample contains about 1,030 words in sixteen sections, with one comparison table. It introduces two patients, then covers asthma and national asthma trends, COPD and its global prevalence, and pneumonia. The table compares onset, cause, reversibility, key test and prevention. Sections on smoking cessation, managing both patients, what a practice can do, the meaning of spirometry numbers, the cost of poor control and vaccines for lung health follow. The conclusion restates how the diseases differ. A margin note explains why national trend data sit beside the child's case, and another explains how spirometry separates asthma from COPD. Each patient's plan is described in enough detail to show how the facts become care decisions.
Reading the HCA 205 Module 3 grading rubric
Respiratory disease papers are commonly marked on accurate distinctions between diseases, clear explanation of tests and treatment, evidence and practical relevance. The asthma and COPD distinction is explained twice, in prose and in the table, and linked to spirometry results. Tests and treatments are described in plain terms. Evidence comes from a national asthma report, a global COPD analysis and a national tobacco recommendation, each cited in APA style. Practical relevance shows in management plans for both patients and practice steps such as registries, rescue inhaler refill flags and vaccine reminders. Graders often reward papers that connect disease facts to what a practice can actually do. Two patients of very different ages also show that respiratory disease spans the whole life course.
Common HCA 205 Module 3 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Students frequently blur asthma and COPD or describe them as the same disease at different ages. Explain reversibility and typical causes. Another common gap is mentioning spirometry without saying what it shows. Some papers also skip prevention for pneumonia, although vaccines are central. Use current statistics and cite them. If your prompt includes a patient case, make a management plan for it. Our tutors can compare your asthma and COPD sections against current sources and suggest what to clarify before the deadline. Check that your statistics are recent and name the population they describe.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Aspen University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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HCA 205 Module 3 questions, answered
What does HCA 205 Module 3 usually ask for?
The HCA 205 description covers common diseases by body system, so a paper on respiratory diseases is a typical assignment. Check your Aspen classroom for the prompt.
What is the main difference between asthma and COPD?
Asthma's airway narrowing largely reverses with treatment, while COPD's airflow limitation does not fully reverse and usually follows long-term smoking.
How is pneumonia diagnosed?
By symptoms and examination, usually confirmed with a chest x-ray.
Where can I find a free HCA 205 Module 3 sample paper?
Scroll up for the respiratory disease paper, which follows a child and a former smoker through asthma, COPD and pneumonia. It is the third HCA 205 sample.
What does spirometry show in HCA 205 Module 3?
How much air a person can breathe out and how fast; a low ratio shows airflow limitation, which improves after a bronchodilator in asthma but not fully in COPD.