Profile of Asthmatic Patients in South Kazakhstan Region: A Cross-Sectional Study

The GINA based algorithms and the international asthma control test is still not fully implemented in the official protocol diagnostic and treatment of asthma on governmental level. Many difficulties create lack of diagnostic equipment, qualified pulmonologists/allergologists and asthma control schools for patients. We aimed to determine the profile of asthma patients according to GINA classifications and barriers to asthma medications and equipment based on cross-sectional study. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire of asthma patients. The obtained results showed that both sexes in working age, mostly from urbanized territory with high rate of unemployed and disabled individuals suffered from asthma in South Kazakhstan Region. At the same time SABA usage more than 5 times a day is spread in a half of asthma patients. The biggest part of registered patients is not available to use spirometry, peakflowmetry, bronchial reversibility test and ACT due to lack of recourses and barriers of access. Further study is needed to understand the best way of improvement of asthma management situation based on international recommendations of GINA and taking into account current health care system peculiarities in Kazakhstan.