Status of Asthma Control in Pediatric Primary Care: Results from the Pediatric Asthma Control Characteristics and Prevalence Survey Study (ACCESS)
Received 3 September 2009; received in revised form 23 November 2009; accepted 15 February 2010. published online 17 May 2010.
Objective
To estimate the prevalence of uncontrolled asthma in pediatric patients with asthma visiting their primary care provider for any medical reason.
Study design
This was a cross-sectional survey conducted at 29 pediatric care sites across the United States. Children age 4-17 years with self- or caregiver-reported asthma completed the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) or the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and responded to demographic and health-related questions. Uncontrolled asthma was defined as a C-ACT or ACT score ≤19.
Results
A total of 2429 children with a diagnosis of asthma (or caregivers) completed the survey. The prevalence of uncontrolled asthma was 46%. The prevalence of uncontrolled asthma was 35% in patients seen for a nonrespiratory complaint versus 54% in those seen for a respiratory complaint. Children seen for a non–respiratory-related complaint with uncontrolled asthma were more likely to have missed 1 or more school days in the previous 4 weeks compared with children with controlled asthma (53% vs 24%).
Conclusions
These findings highlight the impact of uncontrolled asthma not only in children seen for respiratory complaints, but also in those seen for nonrespiratory complaints. Pediatric care providers should consider evaluating asthma control on a regular basis regardless of the reason for the visit.
aDepartment of Pediatrics, National Jewish Health and University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Denver, CO
bRTI International, RTI Health Solutions, Research Triangle Park, NC
cGlaxoSmithKline, US Health Outcomes, Research Triangle Park, NC
dGlaxoSmithKline, Respiratory Medicine Development Center, Research Triangle Park, NC
Reprint requests: Hector Ortega, MD, ScD, GlaxoSmithKline, Five Moore Drive, PO Box 13398 (Sanders 17.1315F.1C), Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3398.
Supported by GlaxoSmithKline. A.G. and R.Z. are employed by RTI Health Solutions, a business unit of RTI International, a nonprofit research organization. RTI Health Solutions receives funding from multiple pharmaceutical companies, including GlaxoSmithKline. W.L., R.S., and H.O. are employed by GlaxoSmithKline.
ABSTRACT