Burden of asthma on resource and productivity in distinct patient clusters

Aims and objectives The REALISE™ survey was a large European survey across 11 countries assessing patient attitudes and behaviours towards their asthma. Healthcare utilisation and absenteeism were examined across a subset of countries: UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands (all with patient sample size >850), in relation to predefined attitudinal clusters. The aim was to determine if differences in attitudes affected resource and productivity. Methods Data were collected online from 5,913 asthma patients. Previously reported analyses identified 4 patient clusters (CL); CL1: good control, confident and adherent; CL2: highest control, confident, but relatively non-adherent; CL3: poor control, low confidence and embarrassed about inhaler, but desire to improve control and seeking information; CL4: lowest control, lowest confidence in self-management, desire to improve control. The cluster analysis was used to estimate the utilisation of healthcare resources per patient per year, in relation to CL1. Results Patients in CL3 & CL4 had higher odds of utilising resource than those in CL1 & CL2. The annual mean number of HCP visits per patient was lowest in CL2 (1.62 visits), increasing to 2.54 in CL1, 4.15 in CL4, and 4.24 in CL3. Conclusion The differing resource use by cluster may suggest that patients included in each of the clusters, with different control levels and attitudes towards asthma, require different management strategies. Funded by Mundipharma International Ltd.