ArticleBMJ open2017
What do adolescents with asthma really think about adherence to inhalers? Insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK online forum.
Article in BMJ open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 47 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
47 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 94 citations in OpenAlex.
- Features of successful interventions to improve adherence to inhaled corticosteroids in children with asthma: A narrative systematic review.Pediatric pulmonology · 2022Pooled it
- Barriers and determinants of asthma control in children and adolescents in Africa: a systematic review.BMJ open · 2021Pooled it
- Theory-Based Digital Interventions to Improve Asthma Self-Management Outcomes: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2018Pooled it
- Encouraging adherence in adolescents with asthma using financial incentives: An RCT.Pediatric pulmonology · 2023Trial
- Patient perspectives of asthma treatment and belief barriers to implementing new guidelines: a qualitative analysis of an online forum.NPJ primary care respiratory medicine · 2026Article
- Adverse outcomes in young adults with severe asthma: results from the UK Severe Asthma Registry.ERJ open research · 2026Article
- Article
- Optimising long-term management in acute asthma presentations to the emergency department: an interview study on patient beliefs.BMJ open respiratory research · 2025Article
- "People here live in denial": A qualitative study of the pervasive impact of stigma on asthma diagnosis and care in Kenya and Sudan.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Influence of parental anxiety and beliefs about medicines on feeding and exercise in children living with asthma.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community · 2024Article
- Development of the face-to-face component and recruitment strategy of a primary care digital social intervention for patients with asthma: Qualitative focus groups and interviews with stakeholders.The European journal of general practice · 2024Article
- 'Will anybody listen?' Parents' views on childhood asthma care: a qualitative study.BJGP open · 2024Article
- How do BMI-restrictive policies impact women seeking NHS-funded IVF in the United Kingdom? A qualitative analysis of online forum discussions.Reproductive health · 2024Article
- Medication Adherence in Children with Asthma.Patient preference and adherence · 2024Review
- Perception of burden of oral and inhaled corticosteroid adverse effects on asthma-specific quality of life.Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology · 2023Article
- 2022 Year in Review: Pediatric Asthma.Respiratory care · 2023Review
- Experiences of Diagnosis, Symptoms, and Use of Reliever Inhalers in Patients With Asthma and Concurrent Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction or Breathing Pattern Disorder: Qualitative Analysis of a UK Asthma Online Community.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Article
- Article
- Let Us Talk Treatment: Using a Digital Body Map Tool to Examine Treatment Burden and Coping Strategies Among Young People with a Chronic Condition.Patient preference and adherence · 2023Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo explore the barriers and facilitators to inhaled asthma treatment in adolescents with asthma.
designQualitative analysis of posts about inhaler treatment in adolescents from an online forum for people with asthma. Analysis informed by the Perceptions and Practicalities Approach.
participantsFifty-four forum participants (39 adolescents ≥16 years, 5 parents of adolescents, 10 adults with asthma) identified using search terms 'teenager inhaler' and 'adolescent inhaler'.
settingPosts from adolescents, parents and adults with asthma taking part in the Asthma UK online forum between 2006 and 2016, UK.
resultsPractical barriers reducing the ability to adhere included forgetfulness and poor routines, inadequate inhaler technique, organisational difficulties (such as repeat prescriptions), and families not understanding or accepting their child had asthma. Prompting and monitoring inhaler treatment by parents were described as helpful, with adolescents benefiting from self-monitoring, for example, by using charts logging adherence. Perceptions reducing the motivation to adhere included asthma representation as episodic rather than chronic condition with intermittent need of inhaler treatment. Adolescents and adults with asthma (but not parents) described concerns related to attributed side effects (eg, weight gain) and social stigma, resulting in 'embarrassment of taking inhalers'. Facilitators to adherence included actively seeking general practitioners'/consultants' adjustments if problems arose and learning to deal with the side effects and stigma. Parents were instrumental in creating a sense of responsibility for adherence.
conclusionsThis online forum reveals a rich and novel insight into adherence to asthma inhalers by adolescents. Interventions that prompt and monitor preventer inhaler use would be welcomed and hold potential. In clinical consultations, exploring parents' beliefs about asthma diagnosis and their role in dealing with barriers to treatment might be beneficial. The social stigma of asthma and its role in adherence were prominent and continue to be underestimated, warranting further research and action to improve public awareness of asthma.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.