Asthma and allergy are becoming less severe in Finland – pharmacy barometer surveys in 2010 and 2016

Background

Barometer surveys were carried out in Finnish pharmacies to follow severity of asthma and allergy symptoms, use of drugs and need for healthcare. Repeat surveys in 2010 and 2016 evaluated the effectiveness of the Finnish Allergy Programme 2008–2018.

Methods

Patients who purchased asthma or allergy drugs participated the surveys in 2016 (n = 956) and in 2010 (n = 1114). Five hundred and seventy patients in 2016 (60%, mean age 53 years, 76% women), and 655 patients in 2010 (59%, mean age 51 years, 72% women) were entitled to special reimbursement of asthma drugs. We compared the severity of symptoms in these asthma patients in 2016 and 2010.

Results

Of the respondents 2.5% estimated they had severe asthma in 2016 compared with 3.8% six years earlier. The most significant symptoms were dyspnoea, shortness of breath and nasal congestion. Shortness of breath and wheezing disabled the patients significantly less in 2016. The number of people who had woken up almost every night due to asthma had decreased from 15 to 8%. Severe allergic symptoms among asthmatics had decreased from 1.9 to 1.1%. Sixteen per cent of patients reported an asthma emergency visit and 6% had been hospitalized during the past year.

Conclusions

Asthma patients continue to improve in Finland and only a few report severe symptoms. Altogether, asthma and allergy symptoms became slightly milder from 2010 to 2016. Disability, emergency visits and hospitalizations can be further reduced.