Living with asthma in Sweden - The ALMA study

• Background: Recently performed studies have found a number of limitations in the daily lives of asthmatics, and a large disparity between the perception of the sufferers and what health care professionals believe matters to asthmatics. Aim: What matters to Swedish asthma patients, what medicines do they use, and are they compliant with given prescriptions? A further aim was to compare perceptions about asthma and asthma management in asthmatics and among Swedish general practitioners (GP). Design: A structured telephone interview of a representative sample of Swedish asthmatics, and a mailed questionnaire survey among GPs from different parts of Sweden. Methods: Screening by telephone of a random sample of 10,350 subjects aged 18-45. Of those, 240 were subsequently selected for a detailed structured telephone interview about their asthma. A mailed structured questionnaire containing similar questions to those asked of the asthmatics was sent to 600 GPs, and 139 returned completed answers. Results: 16% of the asthmatics reported (asthma) symptoms occurring every day during the previous month. Nocturnal symptoms at least twice per week were reported by 19%. Both these were reported by considerably higher proportions of the asthmatics than the GPs had expected. A large majority classified their disease as mild or very mild, although great majority reported frequent symptoms. Activities or situations which caused symptoms of asthma often or "now and then" were physical exertion, 67%, bad weather, 59%, contact with animals/pets, 58%, and visits to cafés or restaurants, 36%, and several asthmatics avoided these activities due to their asthma. Conclusion: A great majority of asthmatics report a large number of symptoms and limitations in their daily living in proportions which were roughly expected by the GPs. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Lungmedicin och allergi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Respiratory Medicine and Allergy (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Asthma

Epidemiology

Living restrictions

Medicines

Symptoms

Lung diseases

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)