title: Patient knowledge, perceptions, expectations and satisfaction on allergen-specific immunotherapy: a survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Assessing patient's perspective provides useful information enabling a customized approach which has been advocated by current guidelines. In this multicentre cross-sectional study we evaluated personal viewpoints on allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) in patients treated with subcutaneous (SCIT) or sublingual (SLIT) immunotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of 28 questions assessing patient's knowledge, perceptions, expectations and satisfaction was developed by an expert panel and was applied by physicians from allergology centres in patients with respiratory allergy treated with SIT. Treating physicians independently reported their satisfaction level regarding SIT for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fully completed surveys from 434 patients (55.3% male; 66.7% poly-sensitized, 74% SLIT) were analysed. Mean duration of SIT was 2.5 years with different allergens. Most patients acquired their SIT knowledge from their physician (95%) and consequently, their physicians' opinion in their choice to start with SIT was important. Most patients perceived SIT to be safe and easy to integrate into their daily routine. The main motivations for SIT were its supposed potential to alter the course of the disease (45.7%), less need of (28.2%), or dissatisfaction with current pharmacotherapy (19.3%). Both patients' and physicians' satisfaction was high (VAS-scores 74/100 and 78/100, respectively) and showed a significant correlation (SCIT: r=0.612; SLIT: r=0.608). No major difference was found in patients' answers based on the level of education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this real life study evaluating different aspects of patient's perspective on SIT, the majority of patients had an adequate level of knowledge, perceptions, expectations and satisfaction about SIT, which corresponded well with the physician's perceptions and satisfaction. Our data warrant the use of patient's perspectives on chronic SIT treatment.
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases Clinic, DIMI, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baiardini
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puggioni
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Menoni
authors.forename: Johan Diderik
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Boot
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Diamant
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braido
authors.forename: Giorgio Walter
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canonica
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult