TY - JOUR

T1 - A Shift in Asthma Treatment According to New Guidelines

T2 - An Evaluation of Asthma Patients’ Attitudes towards Treatment Change

AU - Holst, Sara Sommer

AU - Sabedin, Ebru

AU - Sabedin, Esin

AU - Vermehren, Charlotte

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) has presented a shift in pharmacological asthma treatment. The objective of this study was to explore factors influencing a successful switch to a new asthma treatment approach with a focus on asthma patients’ attitudes toward treatment change and supportive initiatives. This study was performed as a case study involving a quantitative questionnaire and a qualitative semi-structured interview. A total of 284 responses were collected from the questionnaire, and 141 responses were included. The results showed that asthma patients thought that effectiveness of the new treatment approach, doctor recommendation, and knowledge of the new treatment approach were the most important factors influencing treatment change considerations. Nine interviews were conducted where the main themes were barriers to a shift in asthma treatment, such as effects and side effects of the new treatment, the role of the general practitioner (GP) and conflicts in agreeing on a treatment plan; as well as facilitators to a shift in asthma treatment, such as trust in the GP and easier inhaler use. We found several supportive initiatives, such as consultation with the GP, handing out information leaflets and a consultation at the pharmacy. In conclusion, this study uniquely identified factors that may influence successful treatment shifts in asthma patients that may be instrumental in understanding similar situations in other pharmacological settings.

AB - The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) has presented a shift in pharmacological asthma treatment. The objective of this study was to explore factors influencing a successful switch to a new asthma treatment approach with a focus on asthma patients’ attitudes toward treatment change and supportive initiatives. This study was performed as a case study involving a quantitative questionnaire and a qualitative semi-structured interview. A total of 284 responses were collected from the questionnaire, and 141 responses were included. The results showed that asthma patients thought that effectiveness of the new treatment approach, doctor recommendation, and knowledge of the new treatment approach were the most important factors influencing treatment change considerations. Nine interviews were conducted where the main themes were barriers to a shift in asthma treatment, such as effects and side effects of the new treatment, the role of the general practitioner (GP) and conflicts in agreeing on a treatment plan; as well as facilitators to a shift in asthma treatment, such as trust in the GP and easier inhaler use. We found several supportive initiatives, such as consultation with the GP, handing out information leaflets and a consultation at the pharmacy. In conclusion, this study uniquely identified factors that may influence successful treatment shifts in asthma patients that may be instrumental in understanding similar situations in other pharmacological settings.

KW - asthma

KW - attitude

KW - barriers

KW - facilitators

KW - maintenance and reliever

KW - pharmacological asthma treatment

KW - supportive initiatives

KW - treatment change

KW - treatment shift

U2 - 10.3390/ijerph20043453

DO - 10.3390/ijerph20043453

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36834147

AN - SCOPUS:85148965908

VL - 20

JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

SN - 1661-7827

IS - 4

M1 - 3453

ER -