Two Thirds Of People With Asthma Do Not Lead A Full Life Because Of Their Condition

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Also Included In: Sports Medicine / Fitness;  Compliance
Article Date: 09 May 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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Two in three people with asthma feel that their condition is in some way preventing them from achieving what they want from life and one third of patients are living in fear of having an attack, according to a new survey released to mark World Asthma Day.

The survey also found that a third of people with asthma worry about the impact asthma will have on their future health. Respondents also indicated that asthma impacts every day life. 87% of people with asthma report that asthma restricts their ability to take part in physical activities or exercise, and 70% claim that their asthma interrupts their sleep. The survey was conducted amongst people with asthma in nine countries and launches the Spring into Action campaign, an initiative supported by international family physician organisations the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), and the World Organization of Family Doctors (Wonca).

The survey highlights various factors which may contribute to these concerns but also point to positive actions that can help improve overall control. Two in three people with asthma who reported being prescribed a controller medication, would not describe their condition as long term or persistent. This short term view of their condition was supported by respondent behaviours in that one in three people with asthma did not take their medication as prescribed, 23% did not want to use too many inhalers, 23% admitted to forgetting to take them and almost half (44%) of people with asthma tended not to use their controller medication when feeling well. These 'real-world' data suggest that further actions are needed to achieve Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) treatment targets and improve outcomes for patients. As part of these targets, GINA state that people with controlled asthma should not experience limitations in activities or nocturnal symptoms.

"The Spring into Action survey shows that, despite many years of advances, for many patients, asthma still has a great impact on daily life. To be able to prevent future asthma attacks, patients need to accept that the key is to proactively treat asthma on a daily basis with anti-inflammatory controller medication, rather than just reacting to an attack with reliever medication," commented Dr John Haughney, President of IPCRG. "Some of the attitudes this research highlights may ultimately mean patients are unwittingly storing up problems for the future."

The survey also revealed a poor understanding amongst people with asthma of what actually happens within the lungs to cause asthma symptoms. Only one out of four surveyed correctly identified airway inflammation as an underlying cause. However, those patients who did understand the true causes of their asthma reported significantly (p<0.01) better compliance than patients lacking this knowledge, demonstrating a clear need for improved patient education about asthma.

"These results should act as a red flag to patients and doctors to indicate key discussions that should take place during consultations; patients want to be able to control their asthma and are seemingly starved of the information that will help them do it," said Marianella Salapatas, Acting President of patient group organisation the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Disease Patients' Associations (EFA). "When patients understand the underlying causes of the disease, the data shows a positive impact on compliance. This can only benefit patients with a reduction of symptoms and attacks, improved asthma control and in turn reduce the impact on patients' lives today and tomorrow."

When asked what advice people with asthma would like to receive from their doctors the survey highlighted a clear need for doctors to provide simple strategies or tips on different triggers that can cause asthma attacks, how to prevent asthma from worsening and what to do in the event of an attack. Patients want to be more informed about how they can proactively control the disease.

Professor Chris van Weel, World President of Wonca said, "Patients reiterated that their family doctor or specialist were the sources of information they found most useful, and so are best placed to help fill gaps in patients' understanding of their disease. Only informed patients can make informed decisions to best control their asthma with their medications, so no-one need fear for their future health. Wonca works with family doctors to help them and their patients to prioritise preventative strategies rather than only providing reactive care."

The survey was launched on World Asthma Day (WAD), the theme of which is 'You can control your asthma' with the aim of spreading the word that asthma control can be achieved by the vast majority of people with asthma through proper management.

As a part of the Spring into Action campaign and prompted by the survey findings, IPCRG and WONCA have developed 'top tips' to respond to the needs of both people with asthma and doctors, and help meet the WAD aims. The hope is that this information can be the first step in delivering much needed education to patients across the world to take control of their asthma and their lives.

The Spring into Action asthma campaign, developed jointly by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), the World Organisation of Family Doctors (Wonca) and AstraZeneca, surveyed 1,800 asthma patients from UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Korea, Australia, and Brazil. The survey aimed to:

• Highlight the need for, and contribute to, a better understanding of asthma, its management
• Motivate physicians to ensure their patients are better informed on how to use their medications effectively to achieve asthma control and minimise the risk of asthma attacks
• Motivate patients to work with their physicians to achieve better day-to-day symptom control with minimal impairment of daily life

Notes

Spring into Action campaign, survey additional findings:

• Of the patients who said they were prescribed a controller medication, 42% reported using their reliever more frequently than GINA guidelines recommend
  
  
• 37% of the patients wrongly believe that inhaled particles block their airways causing asthma symptoms and a further 24% admitted that they don't know the cause of their symptoms
  
  
• Only 33% of the patients that reported to be prescribed some kind of anti-inflammatory controller medication knew that the airways become inflamed
  
  
• When patients were asked about information they would like to receive in order to help them to manage their asthma better, the majority said they would like guidance on: the different factors or triggers that can cause their asthma to worsen (49%), how to prevent an asthma attack (47%), and guidance on what to do in the event of an attack (45%)

The Spring into Action campaign is a global initiative to help raise awareness of the need for improved asthma management and control. By surveying a patient population of 1,800 asthma patients from the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Korea, Australia, and Brazil, the campaign hopes to motivate patients and physicians around the world to work together to recognise sub-optimal asthma management and achieve better day-to-day symptom control with minimal impairment in daily life as well as to encourage policy makers to spring into action.

The survey has been developed jointly by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), the World Organization of Family Doctors (Wonca) and AstraZeneca. The omnibus survey was conducted by Synovate Healthcare and financed by AstraZeneca. The involved parties have had full access to the survey data and contributed to the interpretation of the results and have agreed on the conclusions.

IPCRG is a charitable organisation that provides an international umbrella for national primary care respiratory interest groups. IPCRG was founded in 2000 and currently counts 36 member countries from around the world. The office of IPCRG is situated in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
For further information, please visit: http://www.theipcrg.org.

Wonca is a non-governmental organisation with 119 member organisations in 99 countries representing about 80% of the world's total population. Wonca was started in 1972 and today the total membership of family doctors is approximately 250,000. The Wonca World Secretariat is located in Singapore.
For further information, please visit: http://www.globalfamilydoctor.com.

AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, with a broad range of medicines designed to fight disease in important areas of healthcare: gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, cancer and infection. Backed by strong science AstraZeneca is committed to the delivery of a flow of new medicines that bring benefit for patients and add value for wider society.
For further information, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca.com.

References
The statistics in this press release are taken from the Spring into Action campaign survey fact sheet, which can be found on the websites of IPCRG or Wonca.

Source:

Emily James / Georgie Griffith
Cohn & Wolfe