This research project of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America was made possible with support from AstraZeneca.
Earlier this year, we asked you to tell us about your life with asthma in our My Life With Asthma online survey. Your responses gave us insight into your unique experiences with asthma.
Asthma is a chronic condition that can be different for each person. This means there is no “one size fits all” approach to managing asthma. Many people manage it well with the right treatment. But 5 to 10 percent have trouble even on maximum treatment. These people have severe asthma.
Severe asthma can have significant emotional, social and financial impacts. The results of this survey will help us provide better support and programs for those with severe asthma. Our study also highlights a need for health care providers to work closely with their patients to understand the many ways asthma is affecting quality of life. Together, people with asthma and their support teams can develop a shared understanding of asthma management and treatment goals.
“My asthma controls my life. I want to be in control of my asthma.”
– Survey respondent
Study Highlights
The study looked at two groups:
- People with “severe uncontrolled” asthma (Group A)
- People with “not severe uncontrolled” asthma (Group B)
People in the “severe uncontrolled” group felt that asthma had a greater negative impact on their quality of life. Here are some of the findings about those with severe asthma from this survey:
- 97 percent report that their asthma limits their everyday tasks
- 93 percent said their asthma negatively affects their physical health
- 83 percent said asthma affects their personal relationships with family, spouses/partners, friends, co-workers
- 78 percent said asthma was always in the back of their mind
- 76 percent said they feel frustrated by their asthma
- 71 percent said asthma negatively affects their emotional health
- 55 percent had symptoms more than once a day
- 48 percent used their quick-relief inhaler more than once a day
- 41 percent said they believe their asthma is so severe that there are no medicines that can make it better
Read our summary of the My Life With Asthma study results from our patient survey. This research gave us insight on issues affecting quality of life and treatments for asthma. It will also help us raise awareness about living with asthma and improve our education materials. Help us continue the conversation by sharing your thoughts in the comments on our online support forums.
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