Most Adolescents with Asthma Overestimate Their Disease Control

Adults with asthma tend to overestimate their degree of disease control. Investigators evaluated 201 adolescents with asthma (mean age, 16 years; 81% black) who attended a primary care clinic at an urban teaching hospital in Ohio. Actual impairment-related asthma control was based on patient report of frequency of daytime symptoms, nighttime awakenings, interference with normal activity, and use of rescue inhalers. Perceived control was ascertained by asking adolescents how they would rate their asthma control (well controlled, not well controlled, or very poorly controlled). Confidence in managing asthma was assessed on a scale of 1 to 10.

Only 25% of adolescents accurately perceived their asthma control. Among those who perceived their ast…