Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40674702›Full record

ArticleSingapore medical journal2026

Inhaler adherence, associated factors and outcomes among adult asthma patients in Singapore.

Tingfeng Lee, Kui Jie Amy Teoh, Sanchalika Acharyya, Shu Yi Lee, Sze Min Tan, Cheila May Dizon Coliat, Lathy Prabhakaran, Chee Yen Goh, Nurul Shahida Binte Azman, Ping Hou and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Singapore medical journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Tingfeng LeeDivision of Pharmacy, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Kui Jie Amy TeohNursing Specialty, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Sanchalika AcharyyaClinical Research and Innovation Office, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Shu Yi LeeNursing Specialty, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Sze Min TanNursing Specialty, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Cheila May Dizon ColiatDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Lathy PrabhakaranNursing Specialty, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Chee Yen GohNursing Specialty, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Nurul Shahida Binte AzmanDepartment of Nursing, Woodlands Health, Singapore.
Ping HouDepartment of Nursing, Woodlands Health, Singapore.
Esther Pee Hwee PangDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionInhaler therapy is paramount in asthma management, yet non-adherence poses a significant challenge. This study investigates inhaler adherence patterns among adult asthma patients, employing the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAIs) questionnaire.

methodsThis cross-sectional study recruited 99 eligible patients from a specialist outpatient clinic over six months. The TAI questionnaire was administered to the patients. Data on asthma control test scores, medication possession ratio, and healthcare utilisation were collected. Statistical analyses were performed to examine the associations between adherence, patient characteristics, and clinical outcomes.

resultsMore than half of the patients (68.7%) exhibited intermediate ( n = 23) or poor ( n = 45) adherence, with younger age associated with poorer adherence. Different patterns of non-compliance were identified; 38.8% ( n = 19) of patients with poor adherence showed deliberate non-compliance, whereas only 7.3% ( n = 3) with good adherence showed unconscious non-compliance. Surprisingly, patients with intermediate and poor adherence often achieved good asthma control, revealing potential challenges in outcome-based adherence assessments. A relatively higher but statistically non-significant proportion of patients with poor adherence had at least one hospitalisation or emergency department attendance due to asthma (42.2% with poor adherence vs. 35.5% with good adherence) or at least one asthma exacerbation requiring oral corticosteroid (64.4% with poor adherence vs. 48.4% with good adherence) in the past 12 months.

conclusionThis study provides insights into inhaler adherence among local adult asthma patients, identifying distinct adherence patterns and recognising potential complacency issues associated with traditional adherence assessments. Despite these limitations, our findings contribute to the optimisation of asthma care through a nuanced understanding of inhaler adherence.

Indexed as

Anti-Asthmatic AgentsAsthmaMedication AdherenceNebulizers and VaporizersAdministration, InhalationAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSingaporeSurveys and QuestionnairesTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultAnti-Asthmatic AgentsAdherenceasthmainhalerTAI questionnaire

Identifiers

PMID40674702
PMCPMC12908893

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-SA
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.