Prevalence and burden of difficult-to-treat and severe asthma in Australia: A national population survey.

Background And Objective: Most evidence about difficult-to-treat and severe asthma (DTTA) comes from clinical trials and registries. We aimed to identify people with DTTA from a large nationally representative asthma population and describe their characteristics and healthcare utilization compared with people whose asthma was not 'difficult-to-treat'.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Australians aged ≥18 years with current asthma from large web-based survey panels.

Relationship between life-time exposure to ambient fine particulate matter and carotid artery intima-media thickness in Australian children aged 11-12 years.

Long-term exposure to air pollutants, especially particulates, in adulthood is related to cardiovascular diseases and vascular markers of atherosclerosis. However, whether vascular changes in children is related to exposure to air pollutants remains unknown. This study examined whether childhood exposure to air pollutants was related to a marker of cardiovascular risk, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in children aged 11-12 years old.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with breathlessness in Australia: weighted using the 2016 Australian census.

Access to up-to-date Australian disease prevalence estimates assists health services and consumer organisations to plan and allocate resources. The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study was conducted between 2006 and 2012 and provided chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (post-bronchodilator airflow limitation) prevalence estimates weighted to the 2006 Australian census. Using the 2016 Australian census, an updated prevalence estimate of all COPD is 8.

Prevalence and burden of breathlessness in Australian adults: The National Breathlessness Survey-a cross-sectional web-based population survey.

Background And Objective: Chronic respiratory symptoms (in particular, breathlessness and cough) can cause physical, social and emotional distress, and may indicate the presence of an underlying disease that presages future poor health outcomes. Our aim was to investigate the burden of breathlessness in Australian adults, including breathlessness that may be undiagnosed, unlabelled or untreated.

Methods: The National Breathlessness Survey was a cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted in October 2019.

Risks associated with managing asthma without a preventer: urgent healthcare, poor asthma control and over-the-counter reliever use in a cross-sectional population survey.

Objectives: Overuse of asthma relievers, particularly without anti-inflammatory preventers, increases asthma risks. This study aimed to identify how many reliever-only users have urgent healthcare, explore their attitudes and beliefs about asthma and its treatment, and investigate whether purchasing over-the-counter relievers was associated with worse asthma outcomes than by prescription.

Design And Setting: Cross-sectional population-based Internet survey in Australia.

Is higher population-level use of ICS/LABA combination associated with better asthma outcomes? Cross-sectional surveys of nationally representative populations in New Zealand and Australia.

Background And Objective: New Zealand (NZ) and Australia (AU) have similarly high asthma prevalence; both have universal public health systems, but different criteria for subsidized medicines. We explored differences in asthma management and asthma-related outcomes between these countries.

Methods: A web-based survey was administered in AU (2012) and NZ (2013) to individuals aged ≥16 years with current asthma, drawn randomly from web-based panels, stratified by national population proportions.

Inappropriate prescribing of inhaled corticosteroids: are they being prescribed for respiratory tract infections? A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Guidelines recommend regular use of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-containing medications for all patients with persistent asthma and those with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is important to identify indicators of inappropriate prescribing.

Aims: To test the hypothesis that ICS are prescribed for the management of respiratory infections in some patients lacking evidence of chronic airways disease.

Cost is a major barrier to the use of inhaled corticosteroids for obstructive lung disease.

Objective: To examine the effect of the level of patient copayment on the rate of purchase of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) by patients with obstructive lung disease.

Design And Setting: Cross-sectional study of records of all prescriptions for ICS dispensed to general and concessional beneficiaries aged 15 years or over in the period January 2003 to December 2006. Data were obtained from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which subsidises medication costs for all Australians.

Prevention of asthma during the first 5 years of life: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Early life exposures may be important in the development of asthma and allergic disease.

Objective: To test house dust mite (HDM) avoidance and dietary fatty acid modification, implemented throughout the first 5 years of life, as interventions to prevent asthma and allergic disease.

Methods: We recruited newborns with a family history of asthma antenatally and randomized them, separately, to HDM avoidance or control and to dietary modification or control.