Asthma Insight And Management Research Articles

Taking Aim at Asthma Around the World: Global Results of the Asthma Insight and Management Survey in the Asia-Pacific Region, Latin America, Europe, Canada, and the United States

Asthma, a worldwide health problem, can be controlled if properly diagnosed and managed. Multinational surveys conducted in patients with asthma from 1998 to 2003 indicated that asthma was inadequately controlled. The Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) study represents the largest survey conducted on patients with asthma since 2003. The objective of this study was to assess findings from the United States (US), Europe and Canada (EUCAN), Latin America (LA), and the Asia-Pacific (AP) region surveys to identify differences and similarities with earlier surveys on patients with asthma. The US, EUCAN, LA, and AP AIM surveys conducted from 2009 to 2011 all used a common set of questions. Responses to these are reported as proportions of patients with asthma for each country individually, and as totals for all regions. Results are presented as mean/median proportions for US, EUCAN, LA, and AP survey populations individually. Global medians and the range of regional response values are also described. A total of 10,302 patients or parents of adolescents with asthma were interviewed. Approximately one-quarter reported daytime symptoms daily or on most days over the previous 4 weeks. Globally, a median of 67% (range, 27%-88%) of patients perceived their asthma as completely and/or well controlled, but a median of only 9% (range, 0%-29%) of patients had well-controlled asthma using criteria from asthma guidelines. A majority (≥60%) of patients felt that quick-relief medication could be used daily if needed, contrary to guideline recommendations. Patients exhibited a lack of knowledge and conviction for treatment recommendations and guidelines that was relatively uniform across the regions, similar to earlier survey findings. These results reveal an ongoing need for improvement in asthma care and education in most populations.

Insights, attitudes and perceptions about asthma and its treatment: Findings from a multinational survey of patients from 8 Asia‐Pacific countries and Hong Kong

The Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) survey was conducted in North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America to characterize patients' insights, attitudes and perceptions about their asthma and its treatment. We report findings from the Asia-Pacific survey. Asthma patients (≥12 years) from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand were surveyed. Patients answered 53 questions exploring general health, diagnosis/history, symptoms, exacerbations, patient burden, disease management, medications/treatments and patient's attitudes. The Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines were used to assess asthma control. The survey was conducted by random digit telephone dialling (Australia, China and Hong Kong) or by random face-to-face interviews (India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand). There were 80 761 households screened. Data from 3630 patients were collected. Wide disparity existed between objective measures of control and patient perception. Reported exacerbations during the previous year ranged from 19% (Hong Kong) to 67% (India). Reported unscheduled urgent/emergency visits to a doctor's office/hospital/clinic in the previous year ranged from 15% (Hong Kong) to 46% (Taiwan). Patients who reported having controlled asthma in the previous month ranged from 27% (South Korea) to 84% (Taiwan). Substantial functional and emotional limitations due to asthma were identified by 13% (South Korea) to 78% (India) of patients. Asthma has a profound impact on patients' well-being despite the availability of effective treatments and evidence-based management guidelines. Substantial differences across the surveyed countries exist, suggesting unmet, country-specific cultural and educational needs. A large proportion of asthma patients overestimate their level of control.

Comparison of the Asthma in America and Asthma Insight and Management surveys: Did asthma burden and care improve in the United States between 1998 and 2009?

Significant changes in asthma treatment guidelines and therapies occurred between the period of time in which the Asthma in America (AIA) and Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) surveys were conducted: 1998 and 2009, respectively. This study compares asthma burden and management in 1998 and 2009. Both surveys were telephone based and conducted across the United States. The AIA survey included 2509 patients with asthma (aged <1 year to 89 years old), 512 physicians, and 1000 adults from the general population. The AIM survey included 2500 patients (aged ≥12 years), 309 physicians, and 1090 adults from the general population. Patient responses were weighted to match the entire population of U.S. patients with asthma. The impact of asthma burden and care on the general population and on asthma patients was slightly lower or unchanged in the AIM survey versus the AIA survey. Acute care use (hospitalizations, emergency department visits, or other urgent care visits) was common in AIA (36%) and AIM (34%) surveys. Most physicians were aware of guidelines in AIA (90%) and AIM (96%), but fewer "always" followed them (AIA, 36%; AIM, 28%). Spirometry was often used to aid in diagnosis by asthma care specialists (AIA, 73%; AIM, 76%) but infrequently by nonsubspecialists (AIA, 27%; AIM, 38%). Most physicians prescribed inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) for mild (AIA, 70%; AIM, 83%) or moderate (AIA, 89%; AIM, 83%) persistent asthma. In the AIM survey, 38% of specialists prescribed ICSs combined with a long-acting β2-agonist for moderate asthma. The state of U.S. asthma care and clinical outcomes changed little from 1998 to 2009.

Patient and physician asthma deterioration terminology: Results from the 2009 Asthma Insight and Management survey

Long-term achievement of asthma control is dependent in part on the use of mutually understandable asthma terminology in all verbal and written patient-physician communications. Using data from the Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) survey, the objective of this analysis is to provide a contemporary depiction of asthma deterioration terminology as used by current asthma patients and physicians in the United States. As part of the 2009 AIM survey, current asthma patients (≥12 years of age; weighted n = 2499) and physicians (n = 309) were queried about their recognition, understanding, and/or use of the terms "asthma attack," "asthma flare-up," and "asthma exacerbation" in telephone interviews. Nearly all patients had heard the term "asthma attack" (97%), but relatively few had heard the term "asthma exacerbation" (24%); 71% had heard "asthma flare-up." In contrast, physicians reported using the term "asthma attack" least (65%) and the term "asthma exacerbation" most (77%) when discussing asthma with their patients; 70% reported using "asthma flare-up." Among patients familiar with "asthma flare-up" and "asthma exacerbation" (n = 502), only 38% said that the terms mean the same thing; nearly all physicians (94%) said that the terms mean the same thing. Collectively, data from the AIM survey suggest that patients and physicians use different asthma deterioration terminology and, more importantly, that they do not necessarily understand each other's terms. Standardizing asthma deterioration terminology may help optimize asthma patient-physician communication to improve patient understanding of written asthma action plans and therefore, enhance patient outcomes.

Asthma burden in the United States: Results of the 2009 Asthma Insight and Management survey

Updated guidelines and new treatments for asthma have become available since the last major survey of asthma management in the United States was completed ∼11 years ago. The Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) survey was conducted to assess the current status of asthma burden in the United States. A geographically stratified screening of 60,682 households provided a national sample of 2500 patients with current asthma (2186 adults aged ≥18 years; 314 adolescents aged 12-17 years). A national sample of 1004 adults without current asthma was interviewed for comparison with the adult asthma population, and 309 asthma health care providers were surveyed for their opinions about the burden of asthma. Asthma prevalence in the United States was estimated at 8%. Twice as many adult asthma patients rated their health as "only fair," "poor," or "very poor," or experienced limitations in activity because of health problems, compared with the general population. Asthma also frequently caused negative emotional symptoms in patients. Most patients experienced asthma throughout the year (63%) and symptoms within the 4 weeks before the summer survey (68%). Overall, 41% of patients responded that asthma interfered with their/their child's life "some" or "a lot". During the year before the survey, 69% of patients experienced at least one severe asthma episode. Asthma burden in the United States remains high despite the availability of updated treatment guidelines and new therapies. Asthma care in the United States remains suboptimal, indicating the need for continued improvements in patient management.

Awareness of and Adherence to National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) Guidelines by Asthma Care Specialists and Primary Care Physicians: Comparison of Results From the 2009 Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) and 1998 Asthma in America (AIA) Surveys

Awareness of and Adherence to National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) Guidelines by Asthma Care Specialists and Primary Care Physicians: Comparison of Results From the 2009 Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) and 1998 Asthma in America (AIA) Surveys

Comparing Asthma in America (AIA) and Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) Surveys - Did Asthma Burden and Management Improve in the United States Between 1998 and 2009?

RATIONALE: Results from 2 large, US-based, cross-sectional asthma surveys conducted approximately 10 years apart (Asthma in America [AIA], 1998; Asthma Insight and Management [AIM], 2009) were compared to determine whether patient-perceived asthma burden and management improved in America over a decade.

The Overall Burden Experienced by Asthma Patients Interviewed in the Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) Survey

RATIONALE: The Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) survey is the largest and most comprehensive survey of asthma burden and management conducted in the US in over a decade. We present AIM survey data relating to asthma burden. METHODS: A total of 60,682 households were screened. Phone interviews were conducted with a national random sample of 2500 asthma patients aged ≥12y. RESULTS: AIM survey results showed that these patients experience asthma symptoms frequently (mean=4.9 times/wk during preceding 4wks). These symptoms were often sudden and/or severe, as indicated by 25% of patients having a severe asthma episode ≥1 time/mo and 62% of patients experiencing ≥1 sudden/severe episode of coughing, wheezing, or chest tightness during the preceding 12mo (37% reporting symptoms ≥1 time/wk). Also during the preceding 12mo period, 26% of patients required an asthma-related urgent care visit, 15% an asthma-related emergency room visit, and/or 6% an asthma-related hospitalization. Asthma also impacted daily activities, with 41% of patients reporting that asthma interfered with lifestyle “some”or “a lot,” specifically interference with daily activities (30%), sleeping (27%), social activities (25%), normal physical exertion (39%), and sports/recreation (45%). Asthma effects on productivity were also noted, with 22% of patients missing school/work during the preceding 12mo (mean=17.8d missed). Asthma was associated with a psychological burden for patients: within the past 12mo, 28% reported being “often” or “sometimes” in fear regarding their asthma and 36% experienced what they considered a life-threatening asthma episode. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma places a substantial burden on the physical, psychosocial, and productivity aspects of patients' lives.

Physician-Reported Asthma Control and Management From the Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) Survey

RATIONALE: Physician perceptions and practices affect asthma management. The recently-completed Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) survey evaluated the current state of US asthma burden and care via comprehensive interviews of asthma patients, physicians, and the general public. We present AIM survey data relating to physician-reported perceptions of asthma control and management.

Patient and Physician Differences in Understanding Asthma Symptom Deterioration Terminology From the Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) Survey

Patient and Physician Differences in Understanding Asthma Symptom Deterioration Terminology From the Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) Survey

Differences in the Understanding of Asthma Terminology Among Patients and Physicians Interviewed in the Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) Survey

Differences in the Understanding of Asthma Terminology Among Patients and Physicians Interviewed in the Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) Survey

The Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) Survey of Differences in Health Among Patients With Asthma and the General Population: Evidence of the Burden of Asthma

The Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) Survey of Differences in Health Among Patients With Asthma and the General Population: Evidence of the Burden of Asthma