Allergy/Asthma Survey Results

Introduction: The purpose of this survey was to help our research group better understand the
trends around allergies and asthma. We wanted to know the most common treatment method
for these conditions. We wanted to get a general idea of how many people get tested for allergy
or asthma, even if they dont have symptoms. We also wanted to know how much people care
about these problems, whether they have been affected by them or not.
Who we surveyed: This survey was created on Qualtrics and was dispersed by all team
members through Facebook. It was not restricted by age or circumstance in any other way. It
was a non-probability sample with a snowball effect. It stayed active for three days (Saturday,
Sunday and Monday) and in that time it received 115 responses. We did not ask any
demographic questions. The survey contained two qualifying questions, the answers to which
determined the other questions a participant would be asked, because skip logic was applied.
These questions were:
1. Do you or your child have allergies?
2. Do you or your child have asthma?
Participants had the option of yes or no to
both of these questions. The graph below
illustrates the answers that were given. Bear
in mind, the graph represents the 115 survey
participants who gave one response to each
of the two questions. Seven people who
answered the question about allergies did
not answer the question about asthma. The
graph helps us to understand the type of
people who participated in the survey.

Key Findings:
Allergy
30% of people with allergies treat them with over the counter medicine (majority)
57% of people with allergies do not see anyone for allergy treatment or concerns
78% of people who dont have allergies have never been tested
Asthma
39% of people with asthma treat it with a prescription from a general doctor (majority)
65% of people see their general doctor for asthma concerns or treatment
80% of people who do not have asthma have never been tested

Descriptive Statistics:
Responses from those who answered YES to allergies
Q1: Do you or your child have allergies?
53% of survey respondents said that they or their child has allergies:
Yes

53% - 61

No

47% - 54

The following questions were only asked to those who answered yes on the previous question.
Q2: What do you do to treat you or your childs allergies? (Choose all that apply)
Mostly by taking over the counter medicine as needed (30%) or by using preventative measures
such as avoidance (23%). Twenty percent of respondents with allergies said that they use a
prescription, but only 8% of those that use a prescription get it from an allergist:
Take over the counter medicine as needed

30% - 31

Take over the counter medicine regularly

11% - 11

Use a prescription given by a general doctor

12% - 12

Use a prescription given by an allergist

8% - 8

Receive treatment from an allergy specialist

5% - 5

Preventative measures (i.e. avoidance)

23% - 24

Nothing

7% - 7

Other

6% - 6

Q3: Who do you generally see for

allergy concerns or treatment?
57% of those with allergies said they do
not generally see anyone for allergy
concerns or treatment. 22% said they
see an allergy specialist, and 21% see a
general doctor.

Q4: Why do you choose to see your general doctor, an allergy specialist or nobody at all
for allergy concerns or treatment?
This question was open response and the answers for each category are below:
General Doctor

Allergist

Nobody

Asthma needs care

We were referred by our FP

I can't afford the prescription so I don't want to pay

for an office visit just to receive prescriptions I don't
want to purchase. My essential oils work fine
enough for me when asthma does flare up.

He has my full health history

and I'm comfortable with him

Allergy shots

I don't know if an allergy specialist will accept my

insurance, it is probably somewhat expensive, and
I don't have a lot of time.

Insurance

To continue to see what

levels my children's nut
allergies are. Also, to learn
about anything different I
could be doing or anything
new to the nut allergy
community.

No time to meet with them. Plus, also unsure about

the medical cost associated with allergies

Easiest Option

If my allergies or asthma is
not under control

Mine are seasonal allergies, so I just take an over

the counter and it works great

Ease, confidence in family

doctor

I am treated by someone
who uses NAET. Other .
Option have been a waste of
money and time. Medical
options dont really help.

I took my son to a specialist because his face

would swell up like a balloon. They told me he
wasn't allergic to anything. I found the specialist
unhelpful.

Proper advice or medication

To identify specific allergens

Doctor's cost money

Because my allergies aren't

very serious and when I was
younger I visited a specialist
who gave me all the
information I would need to
keep myself healthy and
what I needed to avoid.

My allergy specialist has

been treating me since I was
a little girl. I totally trust him.

It's seasonal

They can prescribe the right

meds

The allergist has been

helpful for diagnosis and
treatment options that are
more tailored to my needs
and Luke's needs.

My allergies tend to be pretty mild.

The treatment I've received

from my GP has already
seemed to work.

To get specific help for

specific allergies

Not much of a concern

In case I need a prescriptio

for times when it may be
worse

I am allergic to some prescription drugs and so I do

not take them. I don't have to see a doctor for
them. I also have seasonal allergies every once in
a while and I take a Benadryl. Other than that, I
have no animal allergies, food allergies, etc.
Not severe enough to see a doctor about if I'm
smart about it.

Not that serious of a problem.

I was tested for allergies for several different things
when I was in early elementary school (I'm 20
years old now). I tested negative for everything. But
I've always had uncomfortable amounts of phlegm,
and it's worse during seasons when a lot of pollen
is in the air. Mostly I'm worried that I'll have to have
tests done again that won't show anything, so I
won't get any answers.
It's just a penicillin allergy, not sure if I need to see
one for that.
I just haven't gotten around to it.
I do not want to go in to see a doctor when taking
over the counter medicine fixes the problem!
Its not severe enough for treatment
My allergies are not severe enough for extended
treatment.
Dont want to see a doctor unless we need to
I don't want conventional treatments. I used
prescription medication for years and it caused
many side effects. (For example, I now have no
sense of smell due to a steroid inhaler. I also used
Naldecon which was eventually taken off the
market because it caused life threatening
problems. I now use avoidance, herbs,
homeopathics, diet, etc. to keep my allergies under
control. I also moved away from the Pacific
Northwest and many of my allergens.
Because it is a minor allergy
Because my allergies are usually from the same
thing, so I know what I need to take in order to fix it.
Not bad enough to see a doctor
Nobody
Usually I am able to resolve my allergy issues with
over the counter medicine as needed
I'm allergic to the cold and so once I found out how
to prevent a reaction I didn't need to go back again.
In the past I have gone to allergy specialists and
their prescriptions work for a while and then my
symptoms come back so I decided it's not worth
paying for the visits and prescriptions
I just take Claritin medicine when my airborne

allergies act up. It doesn't happen often. Maybe 5

or 6 times a year.
I have seasonal allergies, so I dont need a doctor
to tell me to take Zyrtec.
I just have slight food allergies and intolerances,
and I've decided to just live with them instead of
pay a doctor to treat them.

Q5: On a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the highest, how would you rank your allergy
concerns?
This question had mixed responses, but the highest response choices were the three lowest
options. This supports our hypothesis that people are unsympathetic to allergies.
1

16% - 9

16% - 9

22% - 12

7% - 4

7% - 4

9% - 5

9% - 5

7% - 4

0% - 0

10

5% - 3

Responses from those who answered NO to allergies

Q1: Do you or your child have allergies?
47% of survey respondents said that they or their child do not have allergies
Yes

53% - 61

No

47% - 54

The following questions were only asked to those who answered no on the previous question.
Q2: Have you ever been tested for allergies?
A large majority of survey respondents without allergies said they had never been tested for
allergies.
Yes

22% - 12

No

78% - 42

Q3: Why have you or why have you not been tested for allergies?
Have not been tested

Have been tested

Ive never felt it was necessary

Thought it might be an allergy but it was just a cold

Never taken the opportunity to do so

Because I was having reactions to my foods

Never had a problem

Pretty sure I was tested as a kid from my doctor

Not much of a problem

Because I get sick often

Because I do not care

Food allergies

I dont have any reactions that would warrant an allergy

test

tongue swelled when I ate peanuts

Nothing has ever indicated that I may have allergies

Celiac

I dont have any known allergies

Because my doctor recommended it.

No reason to suspect allergies

I have chronic sinus problems, so they tested to see if

there was an allergy involved

I dont know haha.. Dont really think Im allergic to

anything.

I've had a rash that comes up on my hands and feet

only that is very painful. It comes and goes and the
doctors thought it was an allergy to grasses, laundry
soap, medication, etc. I had to be tested for every kind
of allergy and start the elimination process to find out
what the rash is from..

Because Ive never felt like allergies have been a

problem for me.

I have asthma

Seems like a lot of work. I havent had any issues yet.

Food allergies, dairy. They thought I was lactose

intolerant. Im not sure if that counts.

Ive never shown signs of allergic reaction

Havent had any health problems that might be related. I
have seasonal allergies sometimes
Never been bothered by anything
Dont want to pay
No reaction to anything
I havent needed to, Ive never been that allergic to
anything.
I never have any reactions to anything
I havent had any allergic reactions to anything
Dont have a problem with them
Have not shown any signs of allergies especially for
known allergens.
Because Ive never had symptoms
Never had any kind of reaction that worries me
I never had a reaction of any sort to warrant a testing
Ive never had an allergic reaction so I dont think Im
allergic to anything
Never had an allergic reaction to anything
Ive never experienced any allergy symptoms, so I
assume I dont have them
Havent needed to be tested
Ive never had a need to, and nobody in my immediate
family has allergies
No one in my family has allergies and Ive never felt like
I could possibly be allergic to something
I dont know
It hasn't been a big deal. I may have some grass
allergies because my brother has terrible terrible grass
allergies but I haven't been tested.

Q4: On a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the highest, how much are you concerned with
allergies?
This question had mixed responses, but there were a few surprisingly high concern rankings for
people who dont have allergies.
1

18% - 7

26% - 10

8% - 3

11% - 4

13% - 5

18% - 7

0% - 0

0% - 0

0% - 0

10

5% - 2

Responses from those who answered YES to asthma

Q1: Do you or your child have asthma?
24% of survey respondents said that they or their child have asthma:
Yes

24% - 26

No

76% - 82

The following questions were only asked to those who answered yes on the previous question.
Q2: What do you do to treat you or your childs asthma? (Choose all that apply)
Those with asthma reported that they treat their asthma primarily with a prescription given by a
general doctor (39%). The next most common response was taking over the counter medicine
as needed (15%). Nine percent of respondents use a prescription given by an asthma specialist.
Take over the counter medicine as needed

15% - 5

Take over the counter medicine regularly

6% - 2

Use a prescription given by a general doctor

39% - 13

Use a prescription given by an asthma

specialist

9% - 3

Receive treatment from an asthma specialist

3% - 1

Preventative measures (i.e. avoidance)

12% - 4

Nothing

12% - 4

Other

3% - 1

Q3: Who do you generally see for

asthma concerns or treatment?
65% of those with asthma said they see
their general doctor for allergy concerns
or treatment. 22% said they see an
asthma specialist, and 13% do not see
anyone.

Q4: Why do you choose to see your general doctor, an asthma specialist or nobody at all
for asthma concerns or treatment?
This question was open response and the answers for each category are below:
General Doctor

Specialist

Nobody

Asthma needs care

My asthma is pretty bad and

needs a specialist

Same reason as before. Herbs are just as effective

in controlling asthma attacks.

I trust my doctor. Been

through him since I was born

I saw a specialist to diagnose

my asthma

Its not that bad

Insurance

My asthma specialist is the

same person as my allergy
specialist

Their treatments help me

It doesn't bother me much,

so I don't do much to treat it
although I occasionally wish I
had an inhaler

To keep on top of his meds

My asthma is controllable.
My doctor gives me a
prescription for inhalers that
I use as necessary. As time
goes on I have a checkup
with him to see if I need the
same prescription.
Easiest option
It is cheapest
I understand what triggers
my asthma (for the most
part). So when I need to
see a doctor it is so I can get
more medicine.
The treatment I've received
has always worked
Its more affordable
The general doctor has
helped keep Lukes asthma
under control with an inhaler
For a prescription

Q5: On a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the highest, how would you rank your asthma
concerns?
Most of the responses fell in the middle or towards the lower end of the scale. It seems that
people with asthma are not terribly concerned about it.
1

5% - 1

19% - 4

19% - 4

0% - 0

24% - 5

10% - 2

10% - 2

5% - 1

5% - 1

10

5% - 1

Responses from those who answered NO to asthma

Q1: Do you or your child have asthma?
76% of survey respondents said that they or their child do not have asthma
Yes

24% - 26

No

76% - 82

The following questions were only asked to those who answered no on the previous question.
Q2: Have you ever been tested for asthma?
A large majority of survey respondents who reported not having asthma also reported that they
had never been tested for it. These numbers were very similar to the question like this about
allergy testing.
Yes

20% - 16

No

80% - 66

Q3: Why have you or why have you not been tested for asthma?
Have not been tested

Have been tested

Never been an issue

Had trouble breathing during 5th grade and clinic

decided to perform an asthma test just in case

No symptoms

Breathing problems. I have been diagnosed and then

un diagnosed with asthma

Never thought I needed to

Difficulty breathing during and after a period of sickness

No reason to

Tested with allergy tests

Dont think I have it

I had sports-induced asthma when I was younger.

Never been a concern

army doc listens to me yearly and have multiple check

ups throughout the year

No signs of asthma

I was having breathing problems

Not much of a problem

Bronchitis

I dont have any symptoms of asthma

Thought I had an asthma attack when I was in high

school, but I dont have asthma

Nothing has ever indicated I might have asthma

I had pains in my chest with difficulty breathing which

ended up being a result of a hear problem. I was,
however, tested for asthma in the process of my testing.

Dont have it

I thought I had asthma because one of the side effects

of an allergy to the cold is a tough time breathing

No reason to suspect asthma

I had bad bronchitis

I dont get tested for anything unless I feel there is a

concern. Definitely not concerned about this one in my
family

Because I thought I may have it

No asthma symptoms

Had childhood Athena, grew out of it

It has never been a medical concern; no family history

of it
Havent ever thought about it
Ive never had breathing problems
Never had symptoms of asthma
Its not a problem for me
I sometimes wondered, but I figured I was just out of
shape. My dad does have exercise-induced asthma
though.
Pretty confident I dont have it. Ive never had symptoms
similar to it
Because I breathe fine
I dont have the symptoms, neither does my child
No symptoms of asthma
I dont know
I dont have trouble breathing
Never had concerns to care
Not needed
I have never had any asthma symptoms
Dont think I have it
I dont show signs
No problems
I dont think I have it, so I havent had to get tested
We dont have it or think we have it
I havent had any breathing problems
No reason other than to know
Never had a breathing problem

N/a
Have not had any problems related with asthma
I dont have any trouble breathing ever.
Idk
I dont think Ive ever had an asthma attack
Never felt the need
No problems
I dont have problems with breathing. Even when Im
around my specific allergens, Im mostly okay
Never had the need to be tested
I havent ever had a loss of air when running
Ive never felt like Ive had an issue breathing
Never had a reason to
Dont feel symptoms
Ive never experienced any symptoms
Havent needed to be tested
Never needed to.
Ive never had issues breathing
I dont have any symptoms of it
Because no one has ever thought I might have it
I have never felt the need to be tested for asthma
No signs or symptoms so no reason to be tested
I dont think I have a problem, so I havent seen a need
to get tested
No signs
Never had a problem with it, even though people in my
area had a problem with it

Q4: On a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the highest, how much are you concerned with
asthma?
The highest response by far was the lowest available option. Apparently people who dont have
asthma really dont care.
1

46% - 21

22% - 10

13% - 6

4% - 2

11% - 5

0% - 0

0% - 0

0% - 0

0% - 0

10

4% - 2