( Disconnect Between Patient Perception a...)New Survey Finds Troubling Data on American Asthma Sufferers,Health

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2007 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new survey released today by the National Consumers League shows that American asthma sufferers are not exactly breathing easy these days. Four in ten asthma sufferers understand asthma medication categories somewhat or not at all, and the more recent the diagnosis, the less knowledgeable adult patients tend to be about asthma. In addition, 62 percent of adults with severe asthma report being in fair or poor health, and one quarter of all asthma sufferers report their condition limits their ability to participate in sports.

Asthma, which affects an estimated 20 million Americans, is a condition of the lungs that, for different individual patients, ranges from minor inconvenience to serious health threats. As nearly 6 million asthma sufferers are under age 18, it is the most common chronic childhood disease. NCL commissioned Harris Interactive to probe into the asthma sufferer experience, researching depth of knowledge, effects of symptoms, and degree to which treatment is being pursued. The results are nothing short of troubling.

The survey of 1,105 adults, made up of both asthma patients and parents of child sufferers, reveals that many asthma sufferers are experiencing troubling asthma. It sheds light on a disconnect between how patients rate their asthma condition and the severity of specific symptoms, and reveals differences in symptoms, treatment and information-seeking among various demographic populations. More in-depth analysis of the following highlights is available at NCL's Web site, where the nonprofit organization has also posted materials for consumers in its new "Live Well with Asthma" section. (http://www.nclnet.org/asthma)

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