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Research article
Luca Cegolon
Azienda ULSS n 2 Marca Trevigiana
Corresponding Author
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Background. Asthma control and monitoring still represents a challenge worldwide. Although the international guidelines suggest the interplay with primary care as an effective strategy, the community pharmacies’are rarely involved in asthma management.
The present cross-sectional study aimed at providing a picture of the relationship between asthma severity and control according to the community pharmacies’ perspective of the health district of Verona (North-Eastern Italy).
Methods. A call for participation was launched through the Pharmacists’ Association of Verona.Patients referring to the participating pharmacies with an anti-asthmatic drug medical prescription and an asthma exemption code were asked to completethe Asthma Control Testand a brief questionnaire collecting information on their age, sex, smoking status, aerobic physical exercise and usual asthma therapy, which also defined the severity level of asthma.A multinomial logistic regression model was fitted to investigate the risk of uncontrolled as well as poorly controlled vs. controlled asthma (base). Results were expressed as relative risk ratios (RRR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI).
Results.57 community pharmacies accepted to participate and 584 asthmatic patients (54% females; mean-age: 51 ± 19 years) were recruited. According to the ACT score 50.5% patients hada controlled asthma, 22.3% a poorly controlled and 27.2% uncontrolled. A variable proportion patients with uncontrolled asthma was observed at every level of severity, although more frequently in mild persistent form of disease. Most patients (92%) reported regular compliance with therapy. At multinomial regression analysis, patients under regular asthma treatment course (RRR=0.33; 95%CI: 0.15; 0.77) were less likely to have an ACT<16 compared to those not taking medications regularly.
Conclusions.Overall, our findings highlighted an unsatisfactory asthma control from the pharmacists’ perspective, independently of the asthma severity level. The relevance of community pharmacies as a first line interface suggest their involvement inan effective asthma management plan, from disease control and treatment compliance assessment to referral of asthmatic patients to medical consultancies.
Keywords
community pharmacies, asthma, control, asthma control test, treatment compliance
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On 14 Dec, 2020
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On 11 Nov, 2020
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On 08 Nov, 2020
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On 08 Nov, 2020
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On 08 Nov, 2020
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Editorial decision: Major revision
On 29 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 19 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 08 Oct, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 08 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 08 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 07 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 07 Oct, 2020
Version 1
Posted 11 May, 2020
No comments provided
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 25 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 26 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 04 May, 2020
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On 03 May, 2020
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A new preprint design is coming!
We have improved readability, clarity, accessibility, and opportunities for engagement.
See the published version of this preprint at BMC Public Health.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Luca Cegolon
Azienda ULSS n 2 Marca Trevigiana
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
No community comments so far
Submission checks complete
On 16 Dec, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 14 Dec, 2020
Version (no preprint)
Posted 06 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 06 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 06 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 06 Dec, 2020
This version was not preprinted
No comments provided
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 11 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 11 Nov, 2020
Editor assigned
On 08 Nov, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 08 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 08 Nov, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 29 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 19 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 08 Oct, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 08 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 08 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 07 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 07 Oct, 2020
Version 1
Posted 11 May, 2020
No comments provided
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 25 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 26 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 04 May, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 03 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 03 May, 2020
First submitted
On 30 Apr, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
Background. Asthma control and monitoring still represents a challenge worldwide. Although the international guidelines suggest the interplay with primary care as an effective strategy, the community pharmacies’are rarely involved in asthma management.
The present cross-sectional study aimed at providing a picture of the relationship between asthma severity and control according to the community pharmacies’ perspective of the health district of Verona (North-Eastern Italy).
Methods. A call for participation was launched through the Pharmacists’ Association of Verona.Patients referring to the participating pharmacies with an anti-asthmatic drug medical prescription and an asthma exemption code were asked to completethe Asthma Control Testand a brief questionnaire collecting information on their age, sex, smoking status, aerobic physical exercise and usual asthma therapy, which also defined the severity level of asthma.A multinomial logistic regression model was fitted to investigate the risk of uncontrolled as well as poorly controlled vs. controlled asthma (base). Results were expressed as relative risk ratios (RRR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI).
Results.57 community pharmacies accepted to participate and 584 asthmatic patients (54% females; mean-age: 51 ± 19 years) were recruited. According to the ACT score 50.5% patients hada controlled asthma, 22.3% a poorly controlled and 27.2% uncontrolled. A variable proportion patients with uncontrolled asthma was observed at every level of severity, although more frequently in mild persistent form of disease. Most patients (92%) reported regular compliance with therapy. At multinomial regression analysis, patients under regular asthma treatment course (RRR=0.33; 95%CI: 0.15; 0.77) were less likely to have an ACT<16 compared to those not taking medications regularly.
Conclusions.Overall, our findings highlighted an unsatisfactory asthma control from the pharmacists’ perspective, independently of the asthma severity level. The relevance of community pharmacies as a first line interface suggest their involvement inan effective asthma management plan, from disease control and treatment compliance assessment to referral of asthmatic patients to medical consultancies.
Figure 1
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