Abstract
Objective
The aim of this study was to explore differences in attitudes, behaviors and expectations related to COVID-19 between physicians and patients with asthma.
Methods
An anonymous survey was distributed through email and social media to adult patients with asthma during a three-week period in April-May 2020. A separate survey was sent to physicians. The surveys asked about demographic information, specific challenges and concerns due to COVID-19, and attitudes/behaviors during this time.
Results
A total of 1171 patients and 225 physicians completed the surveys. Overall, patients with asthma and physicians had large differences in expectations related to COVID-19. Patients were more likely than physicians to believe that individuals with asthma are at a higher risk to get COVID-19 (37.5% vs. 12.0%, p < 0.001), have increased anxiety due to COVID-19 (79.6% vs 70.0%, p = 0.002), and should not go to work (62.7% vs 11.9%, p < 0.001). Neither patients nor physicians felt confident they could distinguish COVID-19 symptoms from asthma (61.2% and 74.5% did not feel confident, respectively). Patients with severe asthma were significantly more impacted by the pandemic (e.g., became unemployed [OR 2.15], had difficulty getting asthma medications [OR 2.37]) compared to those with nonsevere asthma.
Conclusion
Patients with asthma and their physicians have markedly different attitudes and opinions regarding care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such differences have important implications when providing patient-centered care.
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at publisher’s website.
Abbreviations: | ||
ACT: | = | Asthma Control Test; |
CDC: | = | Centers for Disease Control; |
CI: | = | Confidence Interval; |
COVID-19: | = | Coronavirus Disease 2019; |
ED: | = | Emergency Department; |
ICU: | = | Intensive Care Unit; |
NIH: | = | National Institutes of Heath; |
IRB: | = | Institutional Review Board; |
OR: | = | Odds Ratio; |
PCP: | = | Primary Care Physician; |
SD: | = | Standard Deviation |
Conflict of interest
All authors declare that there are no relevant conflicts of interest related to this work.
Funding
Funded through a restricted donation from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).