Asthma care during COVID-19: differences in attitudes and expectations between physicians and patients

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

Keywords:

• Survey
• pandemic
• specialist
• behavior
• severe asthma

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).