1M Canadians living with asthma experience symptoms regularly: report

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A new report has found that almost a third of Canadians living with asthma have stopped exercising, missed school or work, or have skipped social engagements because of their disease.

According to the Lung Association, even though 92 per cent of people living with asthma believe the disease is under control, 36 per cent reported experiencing symptoms regularly.

“Gaining a better understanding of why patients are not diagnosed sooner with asthma, giving them the tools they need to learn how to control their disease and ensuring they are treated properly will reduce the human and economic burden of asthma,” says professor Dr. Paul M. O’Byrne with the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University in a release.

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The report found one of the reasons people are struggling to manage their asthma is because they forget to take their medication.

Many patients also reported they have not received an action plan from their doctor.

“Over the past 12 months, only 29 per cent of people living with asthma have received asthma education and only 15 per cent have received an action plan from their primary care physician,” read the release.

The report was based on 1,510 surveys completed by Canadians living with asthma between Oct. 15 and Nov. 2, 2018. The margin of error was of +/-2.5 per cent.

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