Severe Asthma: Experiences and Opinions of People across Europe on Smoking and SecondHand Smoke Mart

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Severe Asthma Experiences and Opinions of
People across Europe on Smoking and Second-Hand
SmokeMartin J. Dockrell1, Josianne
Roma-Reardon1, Susanna Palkonen2 and Sophie
Kazan2 (1) Asthma UK(2) European Federation of
Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients'
Associations (EFA)

• 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health
  (WCTOH)
• July 2006

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Introduction

• Asthma in Europe is widespread, serious but
  controllable
• The negative effects of smoking and second-hand
  smoke on general health are well documented, but
  these seem to be worse among people with asthma
• Interestingly, there are 30 million people in
  Europe who have asthma and it is well known that
  second-hand smoke is a major asthma trigger,
  reduces lung function and causes more frequent
  attacks

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Objective of Fighting for breath

• The goal of this study is to give voice to the
  opinions and experiences of people across Europe
  who endure a severe, yet largely preventable
  burden of asthma

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Treatment outcomes in Fighting for breath

• Three questions on clinical outcomes in the last
  year
• Frequency of disturbed sleep
• Frequency of attacks of wheezing
• Frequency of speech limiting attacks
• Five international treatment outcomes

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Methodology

• 15-minute telephone interviews were conducted
  with severe asthma patients in four European
  countries
• Severe asthma patients were recruited if they met
  one or more of following criteria
• Sleep disturbance once a week or more often in
  the last year
• A wheezing attack once a week or more often in
  the last year
• One or more speech-limiting attacks in the last
  year
• Fieldwork for the UK Pilot was conducted in 2004.
  And for the main study in March 2005

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Sample
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Results

• 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health (WCTOH)

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1 in 4 smoke
Base Spain, Sweden, France Germany (800)
Q27 Do you smoke? If yes, how many cigarettes do
you smoke a day?
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Two-fifths were exposed to secondary smoking
Base Spain, Sweden, France Germany (800)
Q28 Are you exposed to other peoples cigarette
smoke?
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International treatment goals

• Very few or no asthma episodes
• Very little or no use of quick relief medicine
• Very few or no long term symptoms
• Very few or no restrictions in daily activities
• Very few or no emergency visits

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Have achieved the goal of very little or no use
of quick relief medicine
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Have achieved the goal of very few or no asthma
episodes
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Have achieved the goal of very few or no long
term symptoms
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Have achieved the goal of very few or no
restrictions on daily life
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Smoking and treatment goals
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Conclusions

• 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health (WCTOH)

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Conclusions

• Both smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are
  linked to
• More reported asthma episodes
• More reported use of quick relief medicine
• More reported long term symptoms
• More reported restrictions in daily activities
• No discernable effect on emergency visits