Teens put up with asthma symptoms 'needlessly'
Publication Date:08/05/2008
Many teenagers may be putting up with asthma symptoms unnecessarily, and even restricting their activities because of their symptoms. That’s the conclusion of researchers who looked at teenagers' attitudes to asthma to find out why teenagers have worse asthma symptoms than younger children.
What do we know already?
Teenagers with asthma tend to have more asthma attacks and worse symptoms than younger children with asthma. Doctors often say that the symptoms of children whose asthma was well-controlled with 'preventer' medicine deteriorate when they reach the age at which they, rather than their parents, are in charge of taking the medicine.
There are many reasons why this might be. Teenagers might dislike using an asthma inhaler in front of friends, or may be disorganised and forget to use it, or maybe just feel rebellious about taking regular medicine. Finding out more about teenagers'; attitudes to asthma could show doctors how best to help teenagers avoid asthma symptoms.
What does the new study say?
Teenagers in the study thought their asthma was well under control. But when doctors asked them about their symptoms, and whether they avoided certain activities because of their asthma, it was clear this wasn't the case. Only 8 in 100 teenagers in this study had well-controlled asthma, judging from the symptoms they reported and the way they restricted their activities. But more than 60 in 100 believed their asthma was well-controlled.
Almost 3 in 4 teenagers over-estimated how well they controlled their asthma. The researchers say the teenagers may not have realised that better asthma control, with fewer symptoms, was possible. They say this lack of understanding meant they were less likely to think it important to take their medicine regularly.
Where does the study come from?
The study was carried out by doctors at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, US. It was reported to the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Society in Hawaii, US. It hasn’t yet been published in a medical journal, so we can’t see all the details of the research.
What does this mean for me?
The teenagers in the study were living in the United States, and did not have private health insurance. Because the health system in the US is very different from the NHS, they may not have had the same access to a GP as people do in the UK. So it's possible their asthma control was worse than that of most teenagers in the UK.
However, the general point that teenagers overestimate how well they control their asthma is probably true. Doctors in the UK think that many people with asthma put up with symptoms needlessly, because they’re not taking 'preventer' medicine as prescribed.
What should I do now?
If you have asthma, or you have a teenager with asthma, it’s important to see your doctor regularly for check-ups. Your doctor should ask about your symptoms, and check your breathing using a peak flow meter. If your doctor thinks you could reduce your symptoms, he or she may adjust your medicine to see if that helps. It’s important to make taking your asthma medicine part of your daily routine, so you don’t forget to take it.
From:
Britto M, Byczkowski T, Knopf J, et al. Adolescents overestimate their asthma control. Presented at the Pediatric Academic Society Annual Meeting, 4 May 2008.
To find out more, see our information on asthma in children and asthma in adults.
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