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| |  EAACI: Asthma Medication Misused Due To Lack Of Understanding, Survey Shows BRUSSELS, BELGIUM -- July 7, 1999 -- One in four parents of children with asthma do not understand the difference between the asthma medicines their children need to relieve symptoms when they occur and those they need to take regularly to control the disease by preventing asthma attacks from occurring, according to the findings of a new pan-European survey. Parents also report that only four out of 10 asthmatic children take their controller asthma medication regularly whether they have symptoms or not, something experts agree is essential to minimise long-term lung damage in the growing number of children with asthma around the world. The results of the survey -- the first to assess the social and psychological impact of asthma on parents of children with asthma and their level of knowledge about the disease and how to treat it - were presented for the first time during the annual meeting of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), in Brussels. "Asthma is the epidemic of the 21st century," said Jean Bousquet, chairman of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) and professor of respiratory medicine at the University of Montpellier in France. "These findings, which provide us with insights into the real-life issues facing asthmatic children and their families, are disappointing. "They show that we need to find new ways to help families understand the importance of preventing asthma symptoms and achieving long-term management of the disease." Bousquet underscored the need for better education about asthma and access to easy-to-take treatment for children with asthma. "Parents are the caretakers of their children's health and we are concerned that the correct education on controlling asthma is not being passed on to the children, who will ultimately need to manage the condition without their parents' support." -- One in four parents of children with asthma believe that controller therapy is short term, fast-acting medication that stops asthma symptoms after they have begun or when you experience an asthma attack -- which is in fact the definition of reliever therapy. -- Three in 10 parents do not consider taking their children's asthma medication with them when planning family excursions and holidays. -- One in seven children forget to take their asthma medication or take it at the wrong time, according to their parents. The survey also showed that many parents of children with asthma said they worry about how the disease is affecting their lives and those of their children. A quarter of the parents surveyed expressed worry about: -- Environmental factors beyond their control affecting their child -- such as pollen, tobacco smoke or other irritants -- which are common triggers of asthma attacks. -- The possible long-term harmful effects of asthma treatments. -- Their child's ability to participate in games, lessons or play sport because of the asthma. Finally, 40 percent of those surveyed - two in five parents -- agreed that having a child with asthma has made life more stressful for them. "It is understandable that parents are worried about their child's asthma, particularly if they do not have all the information they need to help control their disease and prevent asthma symptoms," said Dr. Errka Valovirta of Finland, a paediatric allergist who serves as vice-president of European Federation of Asthma and Allergy Associations (EFA) and a council member of the European Society of Paediatric Allergology and Clinical Immunology (ESPACI). Both organisations were involved in the development of the survey. "This survey reinforces our view that we need to focus on asthma education programmes to improve parents' understanding about the proper management of asthma," Dr. Valovirta said. His sentiments were echoed by Dr. Antonio Nieto, a paediatric allergist at Children's Hospital La Fe in Valencia, Spain, who also stressed the importance of good asthma control for the growing numbers of children who have the disease. "We now have convincing evidence that good asthma control reduces the need for hospital treatment and helps children lead normal lives at school, at home, on holiday and with their friends,” he said. “There are new, well-tolerated controller treatments that come in tablet form and need only be taken once daily. "This is ideal for children who might forget to take their treatment and has significant potential to improve compliance and control of asthma." The survey was conducted by MORI, one of Europe's leading market research firms, with advice and counsel from the European patient asthma association, EFA, and ESPACI.
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