Teenage use of GP care for moderate to severe asthma in Auckland, New Zealand.

Objectives: To describe and understand teenagers' frequency of attendance for General Practitioner (GP) care of moderate to severe asthma in the Auckland region.

Methods: Ten Auckland schools identified 510 children aged 13-14 years with breathing problems, who were invited to complete a screening questionnaire. 271 children participated, of whom 114 had moderate to severe asthma.

Results: 39% of the 114 had made 0-1 GP visit for asthma, and 17% made 'greater than and equal to' 5 visits. Low attendees (0-1 visit) were disproportionately New Zealand European. High attendees ('greater than and equal to' 5 visits) tended to be Maori and/or Pacific Islanders. Half of the teenagers attended GP asthma care as often as it wanted, independently of ethnicity; 62% tell their parents when they cannot manage their asthma; and 29% must pay for GP care. Expected attendance was increased for Maori and Pacific students versus others by 77% (p=0002), and by asthma of increased severity (p<0.001). Teenager resistance to accessing GP asthma care reduced expected attendance by 24% (p=0.003).

Conclusions: Maori and Pacific peoples have traditionally faced barriers to accessing GP care, but their their more frequent attendance (than New Zealand Europeans) in this case, challenges whether such barriers persist, at least for acute care of moderate to severe asthma.