Asthma patients seem to have a different view of what ‘asthma control’ means compared to the healthcare professionals who look after them, a study shows.

In an online survey of 2686 asthma patients over the age of 15 only a third agreed with medical concepts of asthma control, such as not having any symptoms or not needing to use a reliever.

Most of the participants thought that having control of their asthma meant that their reliever was working (43%) and that they could manage symptoms when they occurred (47%).

Presenting the findings today at a poster session tour Matthew Peters TSANZ President and co-author said the findings had implications for community education but also for clinical practice.

Medical meanings of asthma may need to be more carefully explained to patients, particularly those with poor control, he said. “But maybe we need to be rethinking our approach,” he added.

The study is due to be published in the MJA.