Table 3.

Proportion of HCPs (n= 200) that answered correctly the questions in the Health Care Professional Asthma knowledge Questionnaire (HQ) and Consumer Asthma knowledge Questionnaire (CQ).

Health Care Professional Asthma knowledge Questionnaire (HQ). HCP ‘%’ with correct answer
	Sp n=10	GP n=46	Phar n=79	PA n=15	N n=40	RT n=10	p-value
1. Asthma results from complex interactions among inflammatory cells, mediators, and other tissues in the airways (T)	100	97.8	97.5	80	70	100	<0.001
2. Asthma can be triggered by aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Nurofen (T)	100	95.7	82.3	86.7	47.5	70	<0.001
3. After the patient has recovered from a severe asthma attack, he/she should be maintained on the same dose of oral corticosteroid permanently to control his/her condition (F)	100	84.8	68.4	46.7	57.5	100	0.014
4. The aim of asthma management is to empower health care professionals to take control of patient’s disease (F)	20	10.9	24.1	20	27.5	20	0.426
5. Asthma episodes are associated with variable airflow obstruction that is often reversible with treatment (T)	100	93.5	77.2	93.3	80	100	0.194
6. All people with asthma should have a long acting beta2 agonist for symptoms relief (F)	100	76.1	48.1	73.3	40	60	0.001
7. The inflammatory process in asthma doesn’t cause permanent changes in the airways (F)	80	73.9	63.3	53.3	45	90*	0.017
8. Multiple actuations of aerosol devices before inhaling from a spacer will result in more effective medication delivery (F)	100	30.4	40.5	40	45	20	0.009
9. The most common problem with dry powder inhaler (DPI) use is incorrectly coordinating drug release and inhalation (F)	80	17.4	25.3	53.3	22.5	30	0.007
10. It’s a good idea to give cough syrups during an asthma attack to treat asthma related cough (F)	100	82.6	59.5	86.7	50	80	0.012
11. The genetic predisposition for the Development of IgE mediated response to common aeroallergens isn’t a predisposing factor for developing asthma (F)	100	71.7	58.2	33.3	45	40	0.004
12. Inhaled non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as sodium cromoglycate (Intal) are recommended as initial preventative therapy for children with frequent episodic to mild persistent asthma (F)	40	47.8	51.3	53.3	55	80	0.661
13. In some people with asthma, exercise induced symptoms may be the only manifestation of asthma (T)	100	87	57	53.3	65	60	0.012
14. When oral corticosteroids are initiated in an acute asthma attack, inhaled corticosteroids should be ceased to avoid any complications (F)	80	67.4	48.1	46.7	17.5	50	<0.001
15. Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIs) require higher inspiratory flow rates than metered dose inhalers (pMDI) (T)	60	58.7	67.1	73.3	72.5	30	0.003
16. Only nebulizers can be used in children less than 2 years old who have asthma (F)	20	23.9	27.8	40	25	10	0.598
17. Unlike short acting bronchodilators, formoterol (Foradile, Oxis) effects usually last for 2 days (F)	100	50	46.2	53.3	37.5	100	<0.001
Consumer Asthma knowledge Questionnaire (CQ). HCP ‘%’ with correct answer
	Sp n=10	GP n=46	Phar n=79	PA n=15	N n=40	RT n=10	P
1. You can become addicted to asthma medications if you use them all the time (F)	100	87	62	53.3	47.5	100	<0.001
2. An asthma action plan can prevent hospitalizations due to asthma (T)	100	95.7	98.7	100	82.5	90	0.008
3. When you know that you are going to be exposed to something that triggers your asthma, you should take the recommended medication just before exposure (T)	80	84.8	74.7	86.7	45	90	<0.001
4. When you know that you are going to be exposed to something that triggers your asthma, you should wait until you develop symptoms before taking medication (F)	100	69.6	73.4	73.3	52.5	90	0.027
5. Side effects are less likely with inhaled medications than with tablets (T)	100	89.1	83.5	93.3	67.5	100	0.017
6. With preventer medications, it does not matter if some doses are missed or if you go on and off them (F)	100	87	65.8	73.3	55	60	0.006
7. If you get a cold or flu, you should increase your asthma medications (T)	20	65.2	35.4	20	27.5	50	0.001
8. Some medications can trigger asthma attacks (T)	100	87	92.4	86.7	90	100	0.626
9. You should use ‘‘preventer medication’’ when you have an asthma attack (F)	100	45.7	46.8	46.7	55	80	0.047
10. Going from a cold to hot environment can trigger asthma, but going from a hot to cold environment does not trigger asthma (F)	100	87	90	86.7	77.5	100	0.225
11. Parents should give ‘‘reliever medication’’ to a child as soon as they recognize the first sign of asthma (T)	100	87	83.5	86.7	85	90	0.816
12. Blue puffer (Ventolin), Brown puffer (Flixotide) and Green puffer (Serevent) are called ‘‘preventer medication” (F)	100	84.8	79.9	80	80	80	0.718

Specialist (Sp); General Practitioner (GP); Pharmacist (Phar); Pharmacist Assistant (PA); Nurse (N); Respiratory Therapist (RT).