A new study published in Respiratory Medicine investigated the respective association of individual- and area-level socioeconomic position (SEP) with uncontrolled asthma among elderly women.

This study included 2258, French elderly women with current asthma – who had asthma attacks, treatment or symptoms during the past year. The average age of the participants was 70 years and 24% had uncontrolled asthma.

The findings revealed that low educational level was associated with an increased risk of uncontrolled asthma, in particular, among those not using controller medication. The combined-SEP index showed that the highest risk of uncontrolled asthma was among women with the most disadvantaged socioeconomic profile—low educational level and low-SEP neighborhood.

In inference, it was stated that the fact that women with low SEP had frequent uncontrolled asthma, could be partly explained by inadequate asthma treatment. It was recommended that in order to achieve the best management of asthma in elderly patients, specific attention should be imparted to both, the advantaged and the disadvantaged populations and neighborhoods.