Research & Publications
Gaps in Care Among Uncontrolled Severe Asthma Patients in the United States
Summary
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that can cause symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness. A real-world, retrospective analysis using data from the Inovalon MORE2 Registry® and Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) databases examined care among over 180,000 patients with severe, uncontrolled asthma between 2015 and 2020.
The study revealed that during the 12 months following an event indicating uncontrolled disease, 35-51% of 45-63% of these patients did not receive specialist care or medication adjustments. Additionally, Black and Hispanic patients were less likely to receive these recommended treatments compared to White patients, highlighting racial disparities in asthma management.
Why This Matters
These findings emphasize the need for better adherence to guidelines in care delivery and increased efforts to ensure equitable care for all patients with severe asthma. A substantial portion of uncontrolled patients with severe asthma had no evidence of specialist visits or medication escalation after uncontrolled disease, and there was a clear relationship between uncontrolled disease and subsequent healthcare resource use and exacerbations.
