Adherence to asthma treatment in childhood and adolescence - a narrative literature review.

Abstract Objectives: We provide a narrative literature review on surveys used to assess the level of medication adherence in children and adolescents with asthma, the attitudes of these patients and their parents toward asthma therapy, and their expectations concerning asthma and available treatment. Methods: A PubMed search and manual selection of the retrieved papers was conducted to identify studies using surveys or interviews that addressed one of the three topics of interest. Results: Adherence to asthma medication varies across age groups and with the type of measurement used. Levels of 49–71% were observed in children and adolescents by objective measurements. Subjective measurements overestimate the level of adherence compared to objective measurements. A considerable percentage of parents expressed fear of side effects of inhaled corticosteroids, although the impact of these concerns on adherence is unclear. Many adolescents and parents adapt inhaled corticosteroids use according to the prevalenc...