Regional Survey Data


Boston, MA
Children & Asthma in America > Regional Survey Data

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Children and Asthma in Boston Survey Highlights


Children and Asthma in America is a landmark survey of the current state of asthma and asthma management among children in the United States. A parallel survey of a community sample of children with asthma and children without asthma in Boston provides additional insights into asthma management and its burden at the local level. Both surveys conclude that a significant number of children with asthma do not have their condition under control, falling far short of national treatment goals established by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The survey findings reveal that half (50%) of all children with asthma in Boston had a severe asthma attack in the past year and nearly one-quarter (23%) had an asthma attack so bad they thought their life was in danger. Other key findings are highlighted below.

The Burden of Asthma Affects Individuals, Their Families and the Healthcare System in Boston


The survey collected information both about the lives of 101 children four to 18 years of age with asthma and 300 children of the same age range without asthma in Boston. The results show that the quality of life of children with asthma is substantially lower than that for children without asthma.
  • Only 40% of children with asthma reported their health to be excellent as compared to 66% of children without asthma.


  • As many as 17% of children with asthma avoided activities due to their asthma, while only 2% of children without asthma avoided activities for any health reasons.


  • Asthma is also a burden on the healthcare system with 7% of children with asthma hospitalized in the past year for asthma as compared to 2% of children without asthma hospitalized for any reason. Additionally, 19% of children with asthma had an emergency room visit in the past year for their asthma, while only 12% of children without asthma required an emergency room visit for any reason.

Widespread Misunderstanding Exists in Boston about Asthma Causes, Treatments and Symptom Prevention


The survey reveals many respondents were uninformed about asthma causes, treatments and symptom prevention. Many patients and parents were unaware of the two main underlying causes of asthma symptoms - airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction. In fact, nearly half of asthma cases (48%) believed only the symptoms of asthma could be treated.
  • Roughly half of respondents were unaware that there are medications to treat airway inflammation (49%) and bronchoconstriction (55%).


  • As many as 46% of those who used quick-relief medicine in the past four weeks said they used it at least three times a week - and 29% used it daily.


  • Only 55% of the children classified as having moderate or severe asthma reported that they/their child took a prescription medicine for daily maintenance therapy during the past four weeks; 19% incorrectly named a short-acting beta2-agonist as a long-term asthma control medicine.

Patients Are Not Following Many Standards of Care for Asthma Management


The survey suggests that many of the recommendations established by NHLBI related to ongoing monitoring of asthma are not being followed.
  • More than half (55%) of children with asthma did not have the recommended two doctor visits for their asthma in the past 12 months.


  • As many as half (50%) of children with asthma did not have a written Asthma Action Plan.


  • Only 45% of those children whose symptoms in the past four weeks were considered moderate or severe reported having a peak flow meter.

Asthma Control in Children in Boston: Missing the Mark


The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has set national treatment goals for asthma control. The Children and Asthma in America survey reveals the state of asthma in children in Boston still falls far short of these goals.

NHLBI Goals of Therapy CHILDREN AND ASTHMA IN AMERICA Survey Findings for Boston
Symptoms
Minimal or no chronic asthma symptoms during the day or night 		In the past four weeks:
  • 58% experienced daytime, nighttime or exercise-induced symptoms

  • 17% experienced daytime symptoms 3 times a week to daily

  • 16% experienced symptoms at night once a week to daily
Emergency Visits
Minimal or no exacerbations (including hospitalizations or emergency room visits) 		In the past year:
  • 19% have visited the emergency room

  • 7% have been kept overnight

  • 32% or nearly 1 out of 3 reported having an unscheduled acute care visit
Missed Work and/or School
No limitations on activities; no school/parent's work missed
  • 50% or 1/2 of the children in the survey missed school or daycare in the past year as a result of their asthma, with an average of nearly 3 days missed

  • 25% or 1/4 of parents of children with asthma have missed work in the past year due to their child's condition

  • 51% or 1/2 of children with asthma were limited 'a lot' or 'some' by their condition in one or more activities such as sports, having pets, sleeping, doing well in school, and/or activities with friends and family outdoors or at school
Use of Rescue Inhalers
Minimal use of short-acting beta2-agonists
  • 46% or close to 1/2 of those who used a quick-acting rescue medication in the past 4 weeks said they used it 3 times a week to daily
Written Asthma Action Plan
Having a written Asthma Action Plan
  • 50% or 1/2 of children with asthma did not have a written Asthma Action Plan
Healthcare Professional Visits
Visit your healthcare professional to monitor your asthma at least 2 times per year
  • 27% or more than 1/4 of children with asthma had not seen their healthcare professional about their condition in the past year; another 28% had done so only once in the past 12 months

  • 55% or more than 1/2 have not had a lung function test in the past 12 months

About the Survey
Children and Asthma in America was conducted by Schulman, Ronca and Bucuvalas, Inc. (SRBI), a national research firm specializing in health issues. The community sample in Boston consisted of approximately 400 children. A total of 101 interviews were completed with a Boston sample of parents of children with asthma (or the child if they were 16 to 18 years old) and 300 interviews with parents of comparably aged children without asthma. All interviews were conducted from February to June 2004, and assessed knowledge, attitudes and behavior regarding children and asthma. The maximum expected sampling error associated with a sample of this size would be +/- 5 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. Those estimates based soley on the asthma sample would have an associated larger sampling error. The survey was released on behalf of AsthmaActionAmericaź, a national asthma education campaign supported by leading organizations committed to improving asthma care in the U.S., and was funded by GlaxoSmithKline. GlaxoSmithKline is a research-based pharmaceutical company and a world leader in respiratory care.

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