Standards of asthma care not met in Europe
Most people with asthma in Europe do not receive adequate standards of care, a survey carried out by the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) has revealed.
EFA surveyed 1,300 people with severe asthma in the UK, France, Spain,
Germany and Sweden. It found that 90 per cent of people are not achieving
one or more of the five treatment goals recommended by the Global Initiative
for Asthma. These are:
· To prevent troublesome symptoms
· To prevent serious attacks
· To require little or no reliever medication
· To lead productive, physically active lives
· To have (near) normal lung function
More than a third of respondents said that asthma prevents them going
out and socialising with friends, a fifth believe that it damages their
career or studies and seven in 10 said it prevents them from enjoying
an active life.
When questioned about the future, more than half of respondents said
they expect little improvement in asthma management, however 71 per cent
are hoping there will be advances in research and medication within the
next five years.
The EFA is calling on the European Community to honour its promise of “a
high level of protection” for EU citizens by issuing regulations
for clean air, including a ban on smoking in all public places. It is
also calling for new guidelines on health care accessibility and funding
for people with asthma and more funding for public awareness
campaigns.
The full report “Fighting for breath: a European patient perspective
on severe asthma” will be published in September. |
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