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Allergists indicate more training needed to counsel patients on physical activity

Allergists understand the evidence supporting the benefits of physical activity for asthma and allergic diseases but need more educational training to convey it to their patients, according to a recent study.

The study surveyed 280 clinician members of the World Allergy Organization on their attitudes toward promoting physical activity and their knowledge on the benefits physical activity has as an additional treatment for patients with asthma and allergies.

The clinicians included 209 allergists and immunologists who responded to the 29-item electronic questionnaire.

More than half of the respondents indicated they had strong or some evidence that physical activity can reduce a patient’s risk for developing asthma (60%) and improve asthma control (85.4%). Almost 70%, however, responded there was no evidence or they did not know that physical activity reduced the incidence of allergic rhinitis.

Approximately 65% of the respondents typically advise their patients with asthma to exercise, yet only 24% said they had previous training for such counseling. More than 95% of the clinicians indicated they needed more training in counseling with regard to preventive care.

The researchers wrote that more than half of the allergists believed their counseling would be more effective if they themselves were fit and at a healthy weight.

As a result of the survey, the WAO proposes an action plan to “develop and include educational training for allergists to effectively counsel about physical activity to their patients” and encourage allergists to serve as physically active role models.

“Clinicians are in a unique position for tailoring information and they can play a major role in motivating patients toward a healthy lifestyle change that could have benefits to other noncommunicable diseases also beyond allergies,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.