Relationships between self-reported asthma utilization and patient characteristics.
BACKGROUND
Identifying asthmatic individuals most likely to utilize medical care in the future will help to direct intervention and medical resources; however, there are currently limited models for future utilization.


OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the relationship between patient characteristics and medical utilization, using an asthma disease management patient population.


METHODS
We analyzed a sample of 1412 adults, enrolled for 6 months in an asthma disease management program, for relationships with utilization. Individuals answered demographic, socioeconomic, and medical questions via telephonic contact upon enrollment. Follow-up regarding medical utilization occurred during the subsequent 6 months. Relationships between utilization and enrollment answers were statistically modeled.


RESULTS
Oral steroid bursts, day and night symptom frequencies, age, gender, education level, and employment status all had a significant relationship to medical utilization. Those individuals who had used oral steroids 6 months prior to enrollment, patients with more than five night-time asthma symptoms per month, and those with "continuous" day symptoms were more likely to report utilization. Those patients under 44 years old, females, those who were not high school graduates, and patients who defined themselves as unemployed because of their asthma were also more likely to report utilization. While those unemployed because of asthma were already more likely to report utilization, individuals in the 45+ age category were more likely than those 18-44.


CONCLUSIONS
Identifying asthma patients likely to utilize medical care is feasible, although more investigation is needed to demonstrate applicability to a general asthma population.
Tinkelman
David G
DG
Health Initiatives, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA. tinkelmand@njc.org
McClure
David L
DL
Lehr
Tanya L
TL
Schwartz
Abby L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D019468:Disease Management; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012648:Self Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D013256:Steroids