Practice of asthma management among doctors in south-east Nigeria

The major role of airway inflammation in childhood asthma has been recognised for more than a decade, and anti-inflammatory drugs now form the mainstay of treatment. In order to optimise treatment and achieve a better outcome, different guidelines have been introduced for asthma management. Examining the practice of the medical practitioners who manage asthma will help establish the gaps and provide informed advice on the current national and international guidelines. Our objective was to investigate the appropriate treatment of acute bronchial asthma by medical practitioners in south-east Nigeria. Two hundred and eighty-five doctors were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Evaluation for differences in asthma management by doctors with different years of practice and heath facilities was carried out. Results were analysed with Epi info version 3.5 We concluded that management based on newer trends in childhood asthma management and adherence to management guidelines is less common among doctors that work in non-tertiary health facilities and among doctors that graduated more than 15 years ago or less than 5 years ago. This needs to be improved for optimal management of these patients. The need for regular continuing medical education for all doctors cannot be over emphasised.