Asthma out of control says study

Asthma is out of control with 60 per cent of New Zealand adult sufferers and 30 per cent of children needlessly tolerating symptoms, says a study.

The Patient Outcomes Management Study (Poms) by Wellington-based P3 Research reveals many asthma sufferers are tolerating symptoms that could be controlled.

Findings showed asthma was not controlled in 70 per cent of adults and 40 per cent of children, but experts say the proportion of asthma sufferers who cannot control the disease should be only 10 per cent.

Principal investigator Shaun Holt said that despite the scale of the problem, three-quarters of people with the disease were not aware that asthma could be controlled.

The study, to be published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, involved 445 patients nationwide.

Asthma, affecting one in six New Zealanders, costs $825 million a year and is the most common cause of hospital admissions in children.

Dr Holt said the main reason for the lack of control was under-treatment. This meant thousands of people needlessly experienced symptoms including wheezing, a tight chest, coughing, not being able to exercise, and waking in the night.

It also meant missed work days.

"In most cases this means people with asthma are not obtaining suitable treatment because of their lack of understanding of good control and problems with access to treatment.

"People with asthma appear satisfied with poor control of their illness despite some extremely unpleasant symptoms."

Dr Holt blamed New Zealand's asthma problem on the lack of priority it was given by the Government, and recommended a focus on achieving the best patient outcomes, as well as open access to newer medicines and primary care.

The problem was exacerbated by the lack of a co-ordinated plan for dealing with the disease.

"New Zealand has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world - affecting one in six people - and we are failing to tackle the problem, which continues to rise," Dr Holt said.

"We need to co-ordinate our efforts under a Government-supported national plan and gain back control of the disease if we are to reduce the burden of asthma."

Asthma and Respiratory Foundation medical director Professor Ian Town said most asthma sufferers should have only minimum requirements for reliever medication and they should not be waking in the night with symptoms.

Professor Town said 90 per cent of patients should be able to bring their asthma under reasonable control, although for 10 per cent of sufferers the disease was so severe this was not possible.

He said the foundation promoted a self-management plan, which included patients being:

Educated about their asthma.

Given appropriate medication.

Taught to recognise when things were not going well and to adjust their medication accordingly.

Taught what to do in an emergency.

- NZPA

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