Background
Around 40% of people with asthma suffer from symptoms on a daily basis, which can impact on their quality of life by limiting everyday activities.(1) The individual's knowledge of their condition can vary significantly, and a number of studies have concluded that compliance with medication is poor. (2) There is a great deal that pharmacists can offer people with asthma to help improve their symptom control and quality of life, and this was summarised by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain in September 2000. (3) This survey investigates the current consultation of pharmacists by people with asthma, including frequency and type of advice. These data are intended to be used to help identify areas that pharmacists can help people with asthma in the future, and act as a baseline data set for future comparison.

Aims
• To investigate the current frequency and type of consultation of pharmacists by people with asthma, identifying future opportunities for care
• To collect baseline data for comparison in future pharmacist activity

Method
An Omnibus survey was carried out in England during April 2003. A total of 1954 people were questioned, of which 255 had asthma themselves, or a partner or child with asthma. A research agency was used to carry out the face-to-face survey. The data were weighted to reflect a nationally representative sample.

Results
Individual knowledge about asthma was poor as only 38% felt 'very knowledgeable' about their condition. A total of 63% of those questioned said that they always used their medication as prescribed by the doctor. Only 13% of people questioned about asthma had asked the pharmacist for advice within the last 6 months. The advice related to: medication (73%), symptoms (46%), products (34%), lifestyle (17%), and other (6%). The majority of respondents (94%) rated the quality of information given by the pharmacists as very good or excellent.

Discussion
Pharmacists can play an important role in helping people with asthma take control of their condition. They are already recognised as a good source of advice. They are in a unique position to target not only people with asthma, but also partners and families living with asthma, when they are entering the pharmacy to get their prescriptions dispensed. Pharmacists can help people identify their level of symptom control, reinforce the importance of regular preventive medicine use, and provide necessary support and advice, including referral to primary care.

1. Greater Expectations? Findings from the National Asthma Campaign's representative study of the Needs Of People With Asthma (NOPWA) in the UK. Asthma Journal 5(3); September 2000.
2. A question of choice- compliance in medicine taking. Compliance with medicines in asthma. Medicines Partnership; October 2003.
3. Practice guidance on the care of people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Respiratory Disease Task Force. RPSGB; Sept 2000