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The survey reveals widespread misunderstanding about the causes and treatment of asthma. This is certainly a key reason why the disease is being so poorly managed. If patients underestimate the severity of their condition and how much better it can be controlled, they are less likely to seek the care they need or tell their doctors everything they should.
The survey reveals that asthma patients are woefully uninformed about the disease:
- Only one in three (34%) persons with asthma said that its underlying causes could be treated. Half (50%) thought that it was possible to treat only symptoms, not the cause; the rest (16%) said they weren't sure. (Figure 29) The percentage who were aware that the underlying condition can be treated is about the same as the public, suggesting that persons with asthma are no better informed about asthma than the general public.
- Without being prompted, only 9% of asthma patients said that asthma was caused by inflammation of the airways in the lungs. This is not significantly different than the proportion of the general public who were aware of the underlying condition for asthma. (Figure 30)
- There is widespread confusion about which medicines do what: 63% of those who said they were taking prescription medication to reduce inflammation were in fact taking medicines that do something else. (Many thought that their quick-relief inhaler was an anti-inflammatory medication.) (Figure 31)
- But many patients want to know more -- 71% say there is "strong need" for better patient education. (Figure 32)
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