Study Highlights Decline in Asthma Control Across Australia
03 Jul 2026
Researchers are encouraging GPs to proactively review patients with asthma and follow the latest national treatment guidelines to improve health outcomes.
Published in the Medical Journal of Australia, the study compared survey results from 5,427 adults with asthma in 2021 with data collected from 2,686 adults in 2012.
The findings showed an increase in urgent asthma-related visits to GPs, emergency departments and hospitals, rising from 29% in 2012 to 38% in 2021. More participants also reported that asthma was affecting their daily lives and overall health.
Researchers found that many patients continued to rely heavily on short-acting beta2-agonist (SABA) inhalers, commonly known as blue puffers. More than half of SABA users obtained three or more inhalers during the previous year, while regular use of inhaled corticosteroids declined.
Only a small proportion of participants were using combination inhaled corticosteroid and formoterol therapy, which is now the preferred treatment recommended in the 2025 Australian Asthma Guidelines.
The researchers said wider adoption of the updated guidelines could improve asthma control, reduce emergency care and lower hospital admissions.
RACGP Specific Interests Respiratory Medicine Chair Dr Kerry Hancock said the findings highlight the importance of regular asthma reviews. She encouraged GPs and their practice teams to work proactively with patients, reduce over-reliance on blue puffers and support the use of inhaled corticosteroid-containing treatment in line with current guidelines.
The researchers also noted that pressures on general practice, workforce shortages and differences in the cost and availability of asthma medicines may be affecting patient care and the uptake of recommended treatments.
Study Highlights Decline in Asthma Control Across Australia
Source: Medical Journal of Australia / newsGP, July 2026.