Europe: The Impact Of Asthma

Parents of asthmatic children across Europe say their child is experiencing increasingly negative feelings, like fear and unhappiness, due to asthma. In a survey conducted by MORI in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain, many parents of asthmatic children say their child's quality of life has declined over the past three years.

The survey, commissioned by EFA, shows more than two in five (44%) parents in the five countries feel their child is fed up or depressed because of their asthma, compared with one in five (19%) three years ago.

Most parents (90%) worry about issues such as the unpredictable nature of when an attack might occur or the long-term harmful effects from treatment. One in seven parents (15%) say their child sometimes forgets to take the asthma medication or takes it at the wrong time, and one in 20 (six per cent) say their child sometimes has trouble taking the correct dosage.

Topline Results

MORI interviewed 591 parents of children with asthma in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain between 13 June and 26 July 2002. Each country's survey included between 85 and 161 parents. Parents were interviewed face-to-face and in their own language. The data have been weighted where necessary to the known national profiles for each country by key demographic characteristics.

Q1 Could I just check, does anyone in your household have asthma?

* In 1999 the questions in Germany were placed on an omnibus and in 2002 an ad hoc methodology was used, therefore ineligible contacts and refusals were not systematically recorded. This year, interviewers only recorded answers at Q1 if respondents confirmed that a child or children in their household had asthma, and if they themselves had asthma.

Q2 Which, if any, would you say closely describes your understanding of the phrase 'controller or preventer therapy' ?

* In 1999, the wording of Statement 'A' differed slightly, as follows: 'Short-term, fast-acting medications that stop asthma symptoms after they have begun or when you experience an asthma attack'.

Q3 As far as you know, which, if any of the following most closely describes what your child receives, if anything, to prevent asthma symptoms from occurring in the first place? By this, we mean a controller or preventer therapy. If you have more than one child with asthma, please think only about the oldest one.

Before we continue, I would just like to explain the terms 'reliever' and 'controller' therapy to you. 'Reliever therapy' is short-term, fast acting medications that stop asthma symptoms after they have begun or when someone experiences an asthma attack. GB ONLY: Reliever therapy is sometimes called rescue medication.

'Controller therapy' is preventative medication that helps keep asthma symptoms from occurring in the first place and is prescribed for daily use even if a person with asthma doesn't have symptoms on a regular basis between attacks. GB ONLY: Controller therapy is sometimes called preventer medication

Q4 Now thinking about your child's asthma, which, if any, of the following most closely describes your view? If you have more than one child with asthma, please think only about the oldest one.

Q5 Now thinking about the impact of your child's asthma, which, if any, of the following most closely describes your view? If you have more than one child with asthma, please think only about the oldest one.

Q6 On this card is a list of phrases that might describe how a child with asthma may feel. Which, if any, would you say describes how your child feels about asthma? Again, if you have more than one child with asthma, please think only about the oldest one.

* The categories 'Ashamed', 'Isolated', 'Lacking in confidence' and 'Victim of bullying' have been omitted this year, while 'Frustrated' has been added.

** The categories 'Fed up' and 'Depressed' were combined in the 1999 survey.

Q7 Which, if any, of the following things on this list to do with your child's asthma do you worry about? If you have more than one child with asthma, please think only about the oldest one.

Q7 cont.

Q8 And which, if any, would you say your child worries about? Again, if you have more than one child with asthma, please think only about the oldest

* This year, 3 new statements (Statements 'G', 'L' and 'N') have been added, therefore these are not proper trends and the findings should be interpreted with caution.

Q8 cont.

Q9 If you were planning to leave your home (e.g. for a day trip, afternoon out or a holiday / camping etc.) with your child who has asthma, which, if any, of the following factors would you give special consideration to, to take account of your child's asthma? If you have more than one child with asthma, please think only about the oldest one.

** The wording of category 'A' differed slightly in the 1999 survey and read 'A not excessive level of pollution in the area.'

Q10 If your child's asthma could be equally well controlled through any of the following forms of medication, which, if any, of the following types of controller therapy would you prefer? Please note we are referring here to preventing asthma symptoms from occurring in the first place, rather than short-term, fast-acting medications that stop asthma symptoms after they have begun. If you have more than one child with asthma, please think only about the oldest

Q11 Which, if any, of the following reasons explains your feelings about why you said you would prefer your child to use an inhaler?

Q11 Which, if any, of the following reasons explains your feelings about why you said you would prefer your child to use a once-a-day non-steroidal tablet?