|
Washington, D.C.—A new survey released today by the National
Consumers League shows that American asthma sufferers are not
exactly breathing easy these days. Four in ten asthma sufferers
understand asthma medication categories somewhat or not at all,
and the more recent the diagnosis, the less knowledgeable adult
patients tend to be about asthma. In addition, 62 percent of
adults with severe asthma report being in fair or poor health,
and one quarter of all asthma sufferers report their condition
limits their ability to participate in sports.
Asthma, which affects an estimated 20 million Americans, is a
condition of the lungs that, for different individual patients,
ranges from minor inconvenience to serious health threats. As
nearly 6 million asthma sufferers are under age 18, it is the
most common chronic childhood disease. NCL commissioned Harris
Interactive to probe into the asthma sufferer experience,
researching depth of knowledge, effects of symptoms, and degree
to which treatment is being pursued. The results are nothing
short of troubling.
The survey of 1,105 adults, made up of both asthma patients and
parents of child sufferers, reveals that many asthma sufferers
are experiencing troubling asthma. It sheds light on a
disconnect between how patients rate their asthma condition and
the severity of specific symptoms, and reveals differences in
symptoms, treatment and information-seeking among various
demographic populations. More in-depth analysis of the following
highlights is available at NCL’s Web site, where the nonprofit
organization has also posted materials for consumers in its new
“Live Well with Asthma” section. (www.nclnet.org/asthma)
“Asthma is a highly personal, challenging condition that
non-sufferers may not even be able to fathom. It’s an
overwhelming, isolating disease that requires heavy patient
involvement and medication management,” said NCL President Linda
Golodner. “It is our hope that our new consumer materials will
help asthma sufferers live well with their asthma."
Major Findings
Asthmatics: A Vulnerable Population
-
Exposure to triggers.
About a third of adult (29 percent) and parents of child
sufferers (35 percent) report living in a household with at
least one smoker.
-
Lack of guidance.
Nearly two-in-ten (17 percent) parents of child sufferers
and one-in-ten (10 percent) adult sufferers who have a
medical professional currently managing their asthma, do not
have an asthma treatment plan.
-
More than two-in-ten adult sufferers (22 percent) have
not received any information at all about lifestyle
changes they can make to improve their asthma condition.
-
General Health.
62 percent of adults with severe asthma report being in fair
or poor health.
Severity of Symptoms: Perceptions vs. Reality
There seems to be a disconnect between how adult or parents of
child asthma sufferers describe the severity of their or their
child’s asthma and the frequency or severity of symptoms asked
of respondents:
-
While 88 percent of adult asthma sufferers indicate their
asthma is moderate or mild, at least one-quarter of adult
sufferers report experiencing shortness of breath (29
percent), coughing (28 percent), and difficulty falling or
staying asleep (28 percent) on a weekly basis. Additionally,
31 percent of adults report having a flare up within the
last week.
-
Similarly, 90 percent of parents report their child’s asthma
as mild or moderate, but nearly 20 percent report their
child has very severe or extremely severe coughing (20
percent), difficulty breathing (19 percent), wheezing (18
percent), tightness in chest (18 percent) and difficulty
falling or staying asleep (19 percent).
-
The perceived mild symptoms may translate into underdosing:
of those taking less than the prescribed dose of their
fast-acting inhalers during a flare up, more than six-in-ten
parents of child (67 percent) and adult sufferers (61
percent) do so because they do not feel their flare up is
severe enough.
Medication Use
-
Overdosing. Of those asthma sufferers
who report taking more of their fast acting inhaler than
prescribed, more than half (51 percent) do so because
the prescribed dose took too long.
-
Switching medications.
Nearly half of asthma sufferers (43 percent) have switched
controller medications. Almost a quarter (23 percent)
switched because they heard about a better controller
medication.
Asthma’s Impact on Lifestyle
According to adult asthmatics and parents of child sufferers,
asthma is a condition that limits activities and affects job and
school performance.
-
One-quarter (26 percent) of all asthma sufferers report
asthma limits their ability to participate in sports.
-
About one-in-ten of all asthma sufferers report that their
asthma impacts certain aspects of their work and school
performance
Parents: A Protective Group
Comparing the experiences of adult sufferers with parents of
child sufferers reveals a greater level of involvement, concern
and anxiety on the part of parents, who may feel they are
advocates for their child’s health.
-
Parents of child sufferers (34 percent) are more likely to
contact their physician than adults (11 percent) when they
have questions between doctor visits.
-
Parents describe their child as having mild (46 percent) or
moderate asthma (44 percent), which is very much under
control or completely under control (75 percent). However,
nearly 20 percent experience some very severe symptoms, and
35 percent report their child experiences asthma-related
symptoms year-round.
-
Parents are more likely to seek all types of information
about asthma than adult sufferers, and parents of child
sufferers are more likely to make lifestyle changes because
of their asthma than are adult asthmatics.
-
63 percent of parents say they understand their children’s
condition very or extremely well (compared with 57 percent
of adults), but only 17 percent report that their child
currently uses a Peak Flow meter.
Minority Populations: Black and Hispanic Experiences
Hispanic and Black asthma sufferers tend to have more severe and
frequent symptoms and a generally negative attitude toward their
asthma condition than other asthma sufferers; however, they are
also more avid seekers of information to help them better manage
their asthma.
-
Overdosing.
While eight-in-ten (81
percent) asthma sufferers take the indicated dose of their
fast-acting inhaler medication, Hispanic and Black adults
(23 percent each) and adult sufferers with severe asthma (40
percent) tend to take more than indicated.
-
Frequency of symptoms.
Hispanic (13 percent, 11 percent) and Black (21 percent, 8
percent) adults and parents of child sufferers are more
likely to report experiencing asthma-related symptoms, such
as wheezing, on a weekly basis (4-7 days a week) compared to
other (5 percent, 1 percent) adults and parents of child
sufferers.
-
Severity of symptoms.
Hispanic (19 percent, 12 percent) and Black (23 percent, 11
percent) adults and parents of child sufferers tend to have
more severe asthma-related symptoms than other (8 percent, 9
percent) adults and parents of child sufferers.
-
Emotional anxiety.
Hispanic (19 percent, 16 percent) and Black (23 percent, 16
percent) adults and parents of child sufferers are more
likely to report experiencing a great deal of emotional
upset or anxiety during an asthma flare-up compared to other
adults and parents of child sufferers (6 percent, 8
percent).
For more detailed survey findings, as well as NCL’s new
educational materials for asthma patients and parents, visit
www.nclnet.org/asthma. NCL also offers Spanish-language
materials at
www.nclnet.org/asma. NCL thanks Schering-Plough for its
support, which made this survey and educational effort possible. |
