SUMMARY

Do patients with greater knowledge manage their disease better? This question was addressed in a cross sectional study presented at ERS2025. A new framework from Professor Celeste Porsbjerg’s team redefines remission in severe asthma by focusing on disease activity, not damage. Early, targeted treatment during the “at-risk asthma” phase may prevent lasting harm.

Health literacy – ability to understand health

Different patients are typically at different levels of understanding of health and disease (i.e. health literacy): This can, in turn, impact how long it takes realize that what they are experiencing is not normal and seek care, and then how well they can manage treatments and to understand what they can do to improve quality of life despite their disease.

Disease knowledge – linked to less disease burden

A Spanish cross sectional study aimed to evaluate to whether dyspnea, quality of life and correct inhaler technique can be linked to the patients’ level of knowledge about COPD.

Participants were assessed upon hospital admission, evaluating dyspnoea, inhaler technique skills, disease impact on autonomy and overall quality of life. They were also assessed on COPD knowledge and separated into two groups: those with superficial understanding and those with a more comprehensive understanding (COPD-Q score 8 or more).

Invest in patient education

Patients with greater knowledge had significantly fewer symptoms, rated quality of life higher and used their inhalers more effectively. These findings underline that interventions to improve the patient’s knowledge about their disease, such as providing patient education, are an important part of optimized disease management.