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Experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during medication shortages linked to the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK asthma online community

Nadya L Ow Orcid Logo, Sara Sadek Attalla, Gwyneth Davies Orcid Logo, Chris J Griffiths, Anna De Simoni Orcid Logo

BJGP Open, Volume: 6, Issue: 4, Start page: BJGPO.2021.0222

Swansea University Author: Gwyneth Davies Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.3399/bjgpo.2021.0222

Abstract

Background Inhaler shortages were reported in the UK following declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting advice against stockpiling.Aim To understand experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during asthma medication shortages.Design & se...

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Published in: BJGP Open
ISSN: 2398-3795
Published: Royal College of General Practitioners 2022
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70388
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Factors leading to increased requests included the following: stockpiling; early ordering; realising inhalers were out of date; and doctors prescribing multiple medication items. Patients&#x2019; anxieties that could lead to stockpiling included the following: fear of asthma attacks leading to admission and acquiring COVID-19 in hospital; lack of dose counters on some inhalers; and believing a lower amount of drug is delivered in the last actuations. Strategies adopted in relation to shortages or changes in treatment owing to out-of-stock medications included the following: starting stockpiling; ordering prescriptions early; contacting medical professionals for advice or alternative prescriptions; getting &#x2018;emergency prescriptions&#x2019;; ordering online or privately; seeking medications in different pharmacies; contacting drug manufacturers; and keeping track of number of doses left in canisters. No evidence was found of anxiety-triggered asthma symptoms that required medications due to fear of COVID-19. Participants seemed to disregard advice against stockpiling.Conclusion Better preparation is a key lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinicians, the pharmaceutical industry, and policymakers should use insights from this work to plan how to better manage medication shortages in future emergency situations.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>BJGP Open</journal><volume>6</volume><journalNumber>4</journalNumber><paginationStart>BJGPO.2021.0222</paginationStart><paginationEnd/><publisher>Royal College of General Practitioners</publisher><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic>2398-3795</issnElectronic><keywords>asthma, coronavirus, pandemics, COVID- 19, shortage, inhalers, online community, qualitative research</keywords><publishedDay>7</publishedDay><publishedMonth>9</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2022</publishedYear><publishedDate>2022-09-07</publishedDate><doi>10.3399/bjgpo.2021.0222</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Medical School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>MEDS</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm>Another institution paid the OA fee</apcterm><funders>Anna De Simoni is funded by Barts Charity MGU0419. 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spelling 2025-10-27T15:07:11.9518406 v2 70388 2025-09-18 Experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during medication shortages linked to the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK asthma online community 92d69cf8519a334ced3f55142c811d95 0000-0003-1218-1008 Gwyneth Davies Gwyneth Davies true false 2025-09-18 MEDS Background Inhaler shortages were reported in the UK following declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting advice against stockpiling.Aim To understand experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during asthma medication shortages.Design & setting UK asthma online community, between March and December 2020.Method Thematic analysis of posts identified using search terms ‘shortage’, ‘out of stock’, ‘prescribe’, and ‘prescription’.Results Sixty-seven participants were identified (48 adults, two children, 17 unstated age). Factors leading to increased requests included the following: stockpiling; early ordering; realising inhalers were out of date; and doctors prescribing multiple medication items. Patients’ anxieties that could lead to stockpiling included the following: fear of asthma attacks leading to admission and acquiring COVID-19 in hospital; lack of dose counters on some inhalers; and believing a lower amount of drug is delivered in the last actuations. Strategies adopted in relation to shortages or changes in treatment owing to out-of-stock medications included the following: starting stockpiling; ordering prescriptions early; contacting medical professionals for advice or alternative prescriptions; getting ‘emergency prescriptions’; ordering online or privately; seeking medications in different pharmacies; contacting drug manufacturers; and keeping track of number of doses left in canisters. No evidence was found of anxiety-triggered asthma symptoms that required medications due to fear of COVID-19. Participants seemed to disregard advice against stockpiling.Conclusion Better preparation is a key lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinicians, the pharmaceutical industry, and policymakers should use insights from this work to plan how to better manage medication shortages in future emergency situations. Journal Article BJGP Open 6 4 BJGPO.2021.0222 Royal College of General Practitioners 2398-3795 asthma, coronavirus, pandemics, COVID- 19, shortage, inhalers, online community, qualitative research 7 9 2022 2022-09-07 10.3399/bjgpo.2021.0222 COLLEGE NANME Medical School COLLEGE CODE MEDS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee Anna De Simoni is funded by Barts Charity MGU0419. REAL - Health: REsearch Actionable Learning Health Systems Asthma programme. 2025-10-27T15:07:11.9518406 2025-09-18T11:25:28.7863829 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science Nadya L Ow 0000-0002-0094-9772 1 Sara Sadek Attalla 2 Gwyneth Davies 0000-0003-1218-1008 3 Chris J Griffiths 4 Anna De Simoni 0000-0001-6955-0885 5 70388__35486__ff658c46bc3543c58ecf5c8a443ca72a.pdf 70388.VoR.pdf 2025-10-27T15:03:45.9722225 Output 999834 application/pdf Version of Record true Copyright © 2022, The Authors. This article is released under the terms of a CC BY license. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during medication shortages linked to the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK asthma online community
spellingShingle Experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during medication shortages linked to the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK asthma online community
Gwyneth Davies
title_short Experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during medication shortages linked to the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK asthma online community
title_full Experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during medication shortages linked to the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK asthma online community
title_fullStr Experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during medication shortages linked to the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK asthma online community
title_full_unstemmed Experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during medication shortages linked to the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK asthma online community
title_sort Experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during medication shortages linked to the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK asthma online community
author_id_str_mv 92d69cf8519a334ced3f55142c811d95
author_id_fullname_str_mv 92d69cf8519a334ced3f55142c811d95_***_Gwyneth Davies
author Gwyneth Davies
author2 Nadya L Ow
Sara Sadek Attalla
Gwyneth Davies
Chris J Griffiths
Anna De Simoni
format Journal article
container_title BJGP Open
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container_issue 4
container_start_page BJGPO.2021.0222
publishDate 2022
institution Swansea University
issn 2398-3795
doi_str_mv 10.3399/bjgpo.2021.0222
publisher Royal College of General Practitioners
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science
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description Background Inhaler shortages were reported in the UK following declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting advice against stockpiling.Aim To understand experiences and behaviours of patients with asthma requesting prescriptions from primary care during asthma medication shortages.Design & setting UK asthma online community, between March and December 2020.Method Thematic analysis of posts identified using search terms ‘shortage’, ‘out of stock’, ‘prescribe’, and ‘prescription’.Results Sixty-seven participants were identified (48 adults, two children, 17 unstated age). Factors leading to increased requests included the following: stockpiling; early ordering; realising inhalers were out of date; and doctors prescribing multiple medication items. Patients’ anxieties that could lead to stockpiling included the following: fear of asthma attacks leading to admission and acquiring COVID-19 in hospital; lack of dose counters on some inhalers; and believing a lower amount of drug is delivered in the last actuations. Strategies adopted in relation to shortages or changes in treatment owing to out-of-stock medications included the following: starting stockpiling; ordering prescriptions early; contacting medical professionals for advice or alternative prescriptions; getting ‘emergency prescriptions’; ordering online or privately; seeking medications in different pharmacies; contacting drug manufacturers; and keeping track of number of doses left in canisters. No evidence was found of anxiety-triggered asthma symptoms that required medications due to fear of COVID-19. Participants seemed to disregard advice against stockpiling.Conclusion Better preparation is a key lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinicians, the pharmaceutical industry, and policymakers should use insights from this work to plan how to better manage medication shortages in future emergency situations.
published_date 2022-09-07T05:30:44Z
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