Inhaler use in adolescents and adults with self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema in the city of Pelotas, Brazil

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the characteristics of users of inhalers and the prevalence of inhaler use among adolescents and adults with self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema. METHODS: A population-based study conducted in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, involving 3,670 subjects ≥ 10 years of age, evaluated with a questionnaire. RESULTS: Approximately 10% of the sample reported at least one of the respiratory diseases studied. Among those individuals, 59% reported respiratory symptoms in the last year, and, of those, only half reported using inhalers. The use of inhalers differed significantly by socioeconomic status (39% and 61% for the lowest and the highest, respectively, p = 0.01). The frequency of inhaler use did not differ by gender or age. Among the individuals reporting emphysema and inhaler use, the use of the bronchodilator-corticosteroid combination was more common than was that of a bronchodilator alone. Only among the individuals reporting physician-diagnosed asthma and current symptoms was the proportion of inhaler users higher than 50%. CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, inhalers were underutilized, and the type of medication used by the individuals who reported emphysema does not seem to be in accordance with the consensus recommendations.

Health-related quality of life and self-reported long-term conditions: a population-based survey

“…Because of logistical implications, the identification of the health conditions was not based on validated diagnostic tests, such as fasting blood glucose levels for diabetes. In this context, although widely adopted [31][32][33] and having good accuracy for some conditions, as diabetes and hypertension, [34][35][36] the self-report of health conditions may be a major limitation. The accuracy of selfreport of health conditions may be potentially affected by social desirability and under or misdiagnosis, especially in socially sensitive issues like depression.…”

Assessment of inhaler techniques employed by patients with respiratory diseases in southern Brazil: a population-based study

“…One explanation for the low number of participants in this advanced age group would be the lower number of MDI users, even though this group has a significant number of subjects who report having respiratory diseases. ( 14 ) Many may not have adapted to this type of inhaler and prefer to use nebulization, which is indicated for those who are too cognitively impaired to use other inhaled drug delivery systems ( 1 , 2 ) ; in addition, one exclusion criterion of the present study was requiring assistance from others to use the inhaler or using the MDI with a spacer and a mask, resources often used in this age group. According to a previous study, ( 21 ) nebulizer users are of advanced age, have respiratory conditions that are more severe, and have great difficulty in using MDIs.…”

“…Uma explicação para o baixo número de participantes nessa faixa etária mais idosa seria o número menor de usuários de IPrs, mesmo esse sendo um grupo com um número expressivo de pessoas que referem possuir doenças respiratórias. ( 14 ) Muitos podem não ter se adaptado a esse tipo de medicamento e preferirem utilizar a nebulização, que está indicada àqueles que não possuem condições cognitivas para o uso de outros métodos de medicação inalatória ( 1 , 2 ) ; além disso, um critério de exclusão do presente estudo era a utilização dos inaladores com a ajuda de outra pessoa ou o uso de IPr com espaçadores com máscara, recursos frequentemente utilizados nessa faixa etária. Segundo um estudo prévio, ( 21 ) os usuários de nebulizadores possuem idade avançada, condições respiratórias mais graves e grandes dificuldades no uso de IPrs.…”

“…The present open-label, uncontrolled, cross-sectional, observational study was part of a population-based, cross-sectional study conducted in 2012 and involving subjects ≥ 10 years of age in 1,722 households in the city of Pelotas, Brazil. ( 14 )…”

“…O presente estudo transversal, observacional, aberto e não controlado fez parte de uma pesquisa transversal, de base populacional, realizada no ano de 2012, envolvendo 1.722 domicílios da cidade de Pelotas (RS) em indivíduos com idade ≥ 10 anos. ( 14 )…”