Asthma controller drugs, Why not

Asthma is one of the most prevalent health problems worldwide and due to its great burden on the socio-economic status in many countries, the control of its symptoms should be one of the first priorities in the health system in many countries all over the world.During the last two decades many advances regarding asthma definition as a chronic inflammatory disease and the many underlying patho-physiologic mechanisms has developed which was accompanied by great advances in therapeutic choices which can control asthma effectively when used properly with fewer side effects.This study was carried out in our Zagazig university hospitals, where previously diagnosed asthmatic children were recruited aiming at answering the big questions for non-use of asthma controller drugs. Our study included filling an arabic interview format as a source of raw data for statistical analysis.There was under-use of asthma controller drugs in studied group owing to many factors fromwhich, false beliefs about asthma as an acute , shameful, non-controllable disease with lack of proper health education about asthma as a disease being considerable.Other finantial issues in addition to patient-related fears about asthma medications plays a major role, however still physician-related issues the most pominent in controllers underuse.The cost of controlling asthma is much lower than to treat it and always it should be in mind that when one child is asthmatic the whole family are sick and so we not only control asthma in that child but also we treat the whole family.Lack of national asthma care program represents one of the main obstacles in managing asthma in our country which should be reviewed by the health system applied in Egypt, moreover, the asthma controller medications should be available in the health insurance system applied in Egypt.In conclusion, this study has revealed that, there was under-use of asthma controller medications in the studied group which largely was related to false beliefs about asthma and lack of well-known asthma care program to be applied and also the socio-economic level status and financial causes having its impact on this results although and according to this study use of controller medications was accompanied by much better asthma control.