BARRIERS TO OPTIMAL CONTROL OF ASTHMA AND ALLERGIC RHINITIS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) are the commonest chronic conditions causing ill health in South Africa. Local South African studies reveal that most patients with these conditions are not well controlled. There are obviously a number of barriers to achieving control. Barriers to optimal control of asthma and allergic rhinitis in South Africa may fall into one of four domains: health-authority-related factors, doctor-related factors, patient-related factors and environmental factors. Each of these is important and plays a role. In the final analysis patient education is important, and the efforts of many organisations (including the National Asthma Education Programme (NAEP) and the South African Allergic Rhinitis Working Group (SAARWG)) are increasing the likelihood of control for patients with asthma and AR.