[Do we forget asthma as a chronic illness in our primary care consultations?]

To describe the characteristics of the asthmatic population at our centre through the information gathered from clinical records, the morbidity caused by asthma and the health education given.

Retrospective, descriptive study.

Urban primary care team.

Asthma sufferers over 14 registered at the centre (n=284).

Review of the clinical records and analysis of data on diagnosis, follow-up and control of the illness.

Prevalence of asthmatics at our centre ran at 1.8%. 73.6% (68.5-78.7) were women, whose average age was 51.25 (21.57). 19% were illiterate. The most common kind of asthma was intermittent (14.1%, 10-18.1). Respiratory infections sparked off acute attacks in 15% (11.3-19.7) of cases. 39.8% (31.4-45.5) (n=113) were diagnosed at the health centre. Spirometry was used as a diagnostic test in 23% (15.2-30.8) (n=26) of these 113 patients. The PC doctor participated in monitoring 81.7% (77.2-86.2) of asthma cases. Spirometry was used in the previous 3 years on 45.4% (39.6-51.2). 95% of spirometry tests were conducted at the hospital. As to health education, there was no record of explanations about the concept of asthma or of breathing techniques in 90.1% (86.1-93.4) and 81% (76.4-85.5) of clinical records, respectively.

High percentage of asthmatics monitored by PC doctors. Under-recording in clinical records of asthma-related action taken. Few additional monitoring tests were conducted. There were few data on health education.