( 7 )Īdherence to treatment is one of the most important factors in ensuring treatment success. Possible explanations for this failure include lack of patient access to health care, lack of diagnosis of asthma, inappropriate treatment, and not taking the prescribed medication properly, whether because of lack of understanding or lack of adherence, despite instruction.

However, despite advances in asthma treatment and in the implementation of guidelines for asthma management, the disease remains poorly controlled. There is as yet no curative treatment for asthma the primary goal of treatment is disease control. ( 5 ) In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, respiratory diseases are the leading cause of hospitalization in those aged under 19 years, and asthma ranks second among these diseases. The mean prevalence of asthma among children and adolescents in Brazil is estimated to be 20%.

( 2 ) Asthma is one of the twenty most common reasons for primary care visits in Brazil, being the third leading cause of hospitalization within the Brazilian Unified Health Care System. The current level of asthma control in Latin American countries falls far short of the goals set forth by current international guidelines. It is highly prevalent, impairs the quality of life of patients and their families, and incurs high costs to the health care system and society. Asthma is a public health problem worldwide and is one of the most common chronic diseases in childhood.

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