Health care-seeking behaviors for acute asthma: A US cross-sectional survey

Understanding patient motivations for acute care-seeking behavior for asthma attacks could guide interventions to improve outcomes and mitigate health care resource use.

To characterize health care-seeking behaviors and motivations of patients in the United States who obtain care for an asthma attack in urgent care (UC), emergency department (ED), or hospital settings.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted online between July and August 2023 among adults in a market research panel treated for asthma in the past 12 months and who had experienced an asthma attack that required care in an UC, ED, or hospital or an oral corticosteroid prescription.

Of the 504 survey participants (female = 72%; White = 79%; Hispanic = 12%), 68% self-reported asthma of moderate severity and 72% had uncontrolled asthma. Oral corticosteroids were prescribed an average of 4.2 times in the past year. During their last asthma attack, 37% of participants took medicines at home, 20% went to UC, 15% went to the ED, and 5% were hospitalized. Participants who were younger, Asian, Hispanic, or with severe asthma were the most likely to go to the ED. Using a rescue inhaler was the most common action taken when first experiencing symptoms (72%). When participants considered seeking acute care, the severity of asthma symptoms was the most common factor considered (76%), followed by fast access to help (29%) and medication access (28%).

Most patients seeking acute asthma care reported moderately severe, uncontrolled disease. Seeking acute care seems to be motivated by symptom severity and the need for fast access to care after trying rescue medications. It would be of interest in a future study to also evaluate the acute care-seeking needs of patients who are at lower risk of seeking acute care.