Analysis of drug provision for patients with bronchial asthma in Stavropol Region

The efficacy of bronchial asthma (BA) treatment directly depends on the continuity and adequacy of drug therapy. Delayed or ineffective asthma treatment is a key factor contributing to a decrease in quality of life, worsening clinical picture, disability, and adverse outcomes.

The aim: to examine the opinions of BA patients regarding the availability of subsidized medication provision in outpatient conditions in Stavropol region.

Material and methods. A survey of respondents was performed using a specially developed questionnaire, followed by mathematical processing of the data. A total of 306 patients with BA, undergoing follow-up care at outpatient clinics in Stavropol, were interviewed using a specially developed questionnaire consisting of 25 questions.

Results. The survey revealed that 77.45% of respondents use subsidized anti-asthma medications. The main reasons for difficult obtaining subsidized medications included distance from home to pharmacies, long lines at outpatient clinics, frequent out-of-stocks, incorrectly written prescriptions, and limited expiration dates. Only 14.6% of patients experienced no difficulties obtaining subsidized medications. Foreign-made medications were preferred by 11.4% of respondents, the manufacturer was unimportant for 60.8%, and 27.8% preferred Russian-made medications.

Conclusion. The survey results show that the problem of medication provision for patients with BA in Stavropol region is an actual one, although it faces certain challenges. In bronchial asthma therapy prescribed for study patients, subsidized medications for symptom relief are dominating, while the majority of respondents do not receive combination basic anti-inflammatory therapy, which may lead to inadequate disease control.