To investigate the determinants of treatment compliance for inhaled glucocorticoids (ICS) in the asthma patients.

A total of 350 asthma outpatients older than 18 years of age who visited our hospital from 2017 July to 2018 February were selected for this study. Through structured interviews and cross-sectional investigations, the information and relevant data of their inhalation treatment compliance state and responses to determinants were collected to fill out the paper questionnaire, and then inputted into the on-line EQDC system by site investigator(s). And the valid data were taken into statistical analyses.

Logistic regression results showed that the five factors were significantly different in the asthma patients with ICS treatment compliance, as follows, ①some asthma patients with ICS treatment thought that it was effective if the condition was controlled or cured [OR=0.28, 95%CI (0.16, 0.48), P<0.01], ② the symptoms of asthma patients were worsened or acutely exacerbated [OR=0.26, 95%CI (0.15, 0.46), P<0.01], ③ some asthma patients had difficulty in burdening the high cost [OR=0.36, 95%CI (0.17, 0.75), P<0.01], ④ ICS was discontinued due to adverse reactions [OR=0.26, 95%CI (0.08, 0.81), P=0.02], and ⑤ several asthma patients worried about the adverse drug reactions [OR=1.59, 95%CI (0.49, 0.95), P=0.04].

Inadequate compliance with ICS in the outpatients with adult asthma is associated with various factors. Multiple forms of patient education are needed to improve the patients′and their family members′awareness of the nature of asthma and its standardized treatment, thereby improving the compliance and clinical outcomes of asthma.