Teens overestimate how well they manage asthma

Think your teenager's asthma is under control? Think again. That's the message from a study (needs registration)reported at the Pediatric Academic Societies' 2008 annual meeting. The study found that nearly all teens with asthma weren't controlling their symptoms well, even though the teens thought they were keeping up just fine.

Teens often have more asthma attacks and worse asthma symptoms than younger children with asthma. It's not clear why, but there are many possibilities. At a time when they're becoming more independent, teens might be less conscientious about taking medications. But this new study suggests something new: teens don't realize their asthma could be better controlled. And if they don't realize it, they're less likely to use their inhalers on a regular basis.

Doctors in the study asked 200 teens to rate how well they thought they were doing with their asthma. They also asked about symptoms and whether or not they avoided sports because of their asthma. About 63 in 100 teens thought they were doing well controlling their asthma. However, the symptoms they reported show this definitely wasn’t the case. Only 8 in 100 kept up on their medication. The rest were split between not taking their meds and sometimes taking their meds. Teens dramatically overestimate their ability to manage their condition, say the researchers.

A separate study reported at the meeting showed that doctors can do more to help teens control their asthma. The doctors assessed asthma control and adjusted medication every time the teen patient came to the office, whether for asthma or not. Teens don’t attend planned meetings to discuss their asthma, but they do show up for other reasons. The doctors were able to take that opportunity for asthma control, which showed that over the course of just one year, teens who had unscheduled asthma checks reported almost half as many visits to the hospital or the emergency room compared to the year before the study.

What you need to know: If you have a teen with asthma, encourage them to see their doctor regularly for asthma checks. Remind them that they could have fewer symptoms, and maybe take part in more activities, with better medication use.

—Anna Sayburn, patient editor, BMJ Group

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