Asthma, Rhinitis, Other Respiratory Diseases
Asthma control in the Asia-Pacific region: The asthma insights and reality in Asia-Pacific study,☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1067/mai.2003.30Get rights and content

Abstract

Background: Few data on asthma management are available for the Asia-Pacific region. Objective: This study examined asthma symptoms, health care use, and management in the Asia-Pacific region. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey, followed by administration of a questionnaire in a face-to-face setting in the respondents' homes in their language of choice. Urban centers in 8 areas were surveyed: China, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Results: A population sample of 3207 respondents with physician-diagnosed asthma was identified by screening 108,360 households. Daytime asthma symptoms were reported by 51.4% of respondents, and 44.3% reported sleep disturbance caused by asthma in the preceding 4 weeks. At least 2 in every 5 respondents (43.6%) had been hospitalized, attended a hospital emergency department, or made unscheduled emergency visits to other health care facilities for treatment of asthma during the previous 12 months. Overall, 15.3% of respondents reported that they had required admission to the hospital for asthma treatment. Asthma severity correlated with the frequencies of hospitalizations and emergency visits for asthma in the past year. Even in those patients with severe persistent asthma, 34.3% regarded their disease as being well or completely controlled. Current use of an inhaled corticosteroid was reported by only 13.6% of respondents, and 56.3% used quick-relief bronchodilators. Absence from school and work in the past year was reported by 36.5% of children and 26.5% of adults. Conclusion: As reported for other regions, current levels of asthma control in the Asia-Pacific region fall markedly short of goals specified in international guidelines for asthma management. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;111:263-8.)

Section snippets

Selection of participants

The AIRIAP survey was conducted from September to December 2000. A random sample of patients with asthma was recruited in urban centers of 8 areas: China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou), Hong Kong, Korea (Seoul), Malaysia (Klang Valley, Penang, Johor Baru, Ipoh), The Philippines (Metro Manila), Singapore, Taiwan (Taipei), and Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City).

Sampling was performed by means of face-to-face recruitment conducted on the basis of random street interception, random door-to-door

Sample population

One or more family members with current asthma were identified in 5288 households of the screening population of 108,360 households from the 8 areas. Approximately 400 respondents were recruited consecutively from the eligible households in each area. A total of 3207 interviews were completed by 2323 adults and by proxy for 884 children; 22 respondents declined to provide an age. The sampling strategy is summarized in Table I.

The age of child and adult respondents was 7.4 ± 3.8 years (mean ±

Discussion

AIRIAP is the first study of this scale and type in children and adults with asthma in the Asia-Pacific region. Data collection was undertaken by local professional researchers not engaged in asthma care and unconnected to the investigators to minimize bias and ensure effective communication in local languages. Although the use of face-to-face interviewing is expected to have diminished the potential for inaccuracy, cultural and methodological biases must be considered. For instance, there are

Acknowledgements

We thank Marc Yates and Stephanie Li of Isis Research Plc, Hong Kong, for their consultation and Tim Passey and Jenni Macdougall for their editorial assistance.

References (20)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

Supported by GlaxoSmithKline.

☆☆

Reprint requests: Christopher K. W. Lai, Room 1403, Tak Shing House, 20 Des Voeux Road Centre, Hong Kong.

View full text