Knowledge and Attitude Among Patients and Physicians on Allergic Rhinitis (KAPPA): An International Survey

Abstract

Purpose: Our study compared knowledge of, and attitudes towards, allergic rhinitis (AR) among patients and physicians in: Brazil, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Patients and Methods: Patients with AR were recruited via probability-based sampling. Data were captured via telephone interview, personal interview, or self-administered online survey. Physicians were recruited from an online physician panel and interviewed by self-administered online survey. Results: In total, 1436 patients and 1637 physicians were surveyed. Most patients (76.9%) reported moderate-to-severe AR, whereas physicians reported more mild (mean cases ranging from 57.0–68.2) than moderate-to-severe AR (mean cases ranging from 31.8–43.0). Overall, most physicians (85.4%) and patients (77.5%) agreed AR could be controlled with treatment. Physicians preferred prescribing oral antihistamines (OAHs) for mild AR (from 45.3% of physicians in Brazil to 73.6% of physicians in Mexico). For moderate and severe AR, more physicians preferred prescribing intranasal corticosteroids (INCSs) and OAHs for moderate and severe AR than other available treatments (from 48.5% of physicians in the UK to 69.5% of physicians in Spain). Patients preferred OAHs to INCSs for treating AR (62.0%). Patients also reported a range of comorbidities: overall, sinus infections were the most common (24.7%), and comorbid asthma was present in 12.9% of patients. Per country, Saudi Arabia had the highest proportion (53.5%) and Mexico had the lowest proportion (8.0%) of patients with comorbid asthma. Conclusion: Patient and physician perceptions of AR mostly differed between and within countries, although there was generally agreement that AR could be controlled with treatment. Differing attitudes towards AR among patients and physicians suggests a need for improved education in and communication between these groups, with subsequent implications for optimizing disease management.