title: Inhaler use in adolescents and adults with self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema in the city of Pelotas, Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the characteristics of users of inhalers and the prevalence of inhaler use among adolescents and adults with self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based study conducted in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, involving 3,670 subjects ≥ 10 years of age, evaluated with a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 10% of the sample reported at least one of the respiratory diseases studied. Among those individuals, 59% reported respiratory symptoms in the last year, and, of those, only half reported using inhalers. The use of inhalers differed significantly by socioeconomic status (39% and 61% for the lowest and the highest, respectively, p = 0.01). The frequency of inhaler use did not differ by gender or age. Among the individuals reporting emphysema and inhaler use, the use of the bronchodilator-corticosteroid combination was more common than was that of a bronchodilator alone. Only among the individuals reporting physician-diagnosed asthma and current symptoms was the proportion of inhaler users higher than 50%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our sample, inhalers were underutilized, and the type of medication used by the individuals who reported emphysema does not seem to be in accordance with the consensus recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula Duarte de
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Ana Maria Baptista
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Andréa Dâmaso
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bertoldi
authors.forename: Fernando César
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Wehrmeister
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004646:Emphysema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents