[An analysis of the survey data on Hangzhou community physicians' perceptions of asthma knowledge and management]

To evaluate the basic knowledge of asthma, the standardization of treatment and the continuing education with community physicians in Hangzhou.

The survey investigated a total of 45 community health service centers in Hangzhou, and 2 - 4 western medicine physicians were randomly selected from each centre. A questionnaire was completed by totally 114 doctors under investigation.

Eighty-seven percent of the physicians believed asthma was an airway inflammatory disease. Sixty-nine percent chose inhaled glucocorticoids as daily first-line drug for persistent asthma and 55% had read asthma guidelines. However, only 24% had ever heard China Asthma Alliance (CAA) and only 6% had visited its website. Moreover, no one under investigation had participated in the CAA organized talks popularizing the standardization of asthma treatment. Over the past year, 55% of the respondents did not participate in any asthma-related meetings or seminars. Ninety-six percent of those surveyed expressed the hope that higher-level hospital doctors would come to the community hospital for asthma-related seminars. Among the 45 community health service centers, only 2 collected part of the registration data for asthma patients and only one conducted health education seminars for asthma patients during the past year.

Community physicians need to be provided more continuing education opportunities in order for them to provide standard asthma treatment for patients.