In a diverse urban population, poor asthma control is associated with social factors and lack of access to guideline-based care, according to study findings presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) 2024 Annual Meeting, held in Washington, DC, February 23 to 26.
Investigators sought to assess asthma characteristics in a diverse urban population and to compare allergy testing rates in adults with poorly controlled vs well-controlled asthma.
The investigators conducted a secondary analysis of a survey of adult patients (n=318) in the Chicago Area Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Network (CAPriCORN) asthma cohort, which included patients from 9 health systems across Chicago. The goal of the secondary analysis was to assess the association of asthma control with race, education level, and previous diagnostic allergy testing using multivariable linear regression.
Survey respondents completed an asthma control questionnaire that included demographic questions. The investigators noted 51% of respondents were Black, 31% had a high school education or less, and 82% had experienced prior diagnostic allergy testing.
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Interventions that address social determinants of health and access to quality care are needed especially in urban, minoritized populations.
Significant associations with poorly controlled asthma were found for “non-Hispanic Black race” (P =.002) as well as a high school education or less (P <.001). Significant associations were noted between previous diagnostic allergy testing and well-controlled asthma (87%) vs poorly controlled asthma (73%) (P =.02).
“Poorly controlled asthma is associated with both social factors and access to guideline-based care,” the investigators concluded. The study authors added, “Interventions that address social determinants of health and access to quality care are needed especially in urban, minoritized populations.”
