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Asthma in general practice. Opportunities for recognition and management
M Tse1, C Cooper, C Bridges-Webb
1Department of General Practice, University of Sydney.
Australian Family Physician
|May 1, 1993
Summary
Asthma symptoms like wheezing are common in general practice patients, yet many with wheezing do not have a formal asthma diagnosis. This suggests asthma is often under-recognized and undertreated in primary care settings.
Area of Science:
- General Practice
- Respiratory Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Asthma is a common chronic respiratory condition.
- General practitioners (GPs) are often the first point of contact for patients with respiratory symptoms.
- Understanding the prevalence of asthma and its symptoms in primary care is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of asthma-related symptoms and diagnosed asthma among patients presenting to general practitioners.
- To investigate the relationship between reported wheezing and a formal asthma diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted using written questionnaires.
- Data were collected from 1933 patients across 21 general practices in Sydney.
- The study assessed the frequency of recent wheeze and diagnosed asthma.
Main Results:
- 19% of patients reported recent wheeze, and 9% reported recent asthma.
- Less than half (47%) of patients experiencing recent wheeze had a diagnosis of asthma.
- Recent wheeze without a formal asthma diagnosis was more prevalent in males than females.
- Most patients with diagnosed asthma (95%) had received medical treatment, but three-quarters still experienced symptoms in the past year.
Conclusions:
- Asthma appears to be under-recognized and undertreated within general practice settings.
- A significant proportion of patients with asthma-like symptoms do not have an asthma diagnosis.
- Further efforts are needed to improve asthma diagnosis and management in primary care.