A36-14 Assessing Communication Between Provider and Patient About the Association Between Obesity and Asthma in the Ambulatory Care Setting

Although the negative impact of obesity and weight gain on asthma symptoms and quality of life is well defined, patient awareness and understanding of this relationship is not. Despite evidence that bariatric surgery, pharmacologic therapy, and weight loss programs are associated with better asthma control, few studies have examined the quality of provider communication on this topic in the ambulatory setting. We examined patient understanding of how weight affects asthma control and satisfaction with provider communication on this important topic. A 21-question survey was created to assess awareness of the effect of weight gain and loss on asthma response to inhalers, symptoms, and frequency of exacerbations, and retrospective reflections on clinical experiences, effectiveness, and satisfaction of provider communication. The survey was distributed via QR code or paper copy using Qualtrics survey platform to adult patients who have a diagnosis of asthma after their visit with a pulmonologist or allergist/immunologist at the University of Colorado from January 1st to September 30th, 2025. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Colorado. The survey was completed by 101 patients. Demographics are listed in Table 1. Only 55% of patients (n = 49) wished that their provider discussed the relationship between obesity and asthma with them. However, 70% (n = 67) agreed with the statement that weight gain worsens asthma symptoms, and 20% (n = 19) did not know about this association. 67% (n = 59) of respondents agreed that weight gain increases risk of exacerbations, and 30% (n = 27) did not know about this association. There was a significantly greater likelihood of counseling a patient on the relationship between weight and asthma with greater body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.0014), but not race or gender (p = 0.18, p = 0.69, respectively). Chi-squared analysis revealed a significant relationship between higher BMI and frequency of emergency department visits for asthma exacerbations (p = 0.0075). To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate patient understanding of the negative relationship between weight gain and poor asthma control. Although only half of respondents wished their provider talked more about this relationship, the 20-30% rate of respondents who did not know about the association and the significant relationship between increasing BMI and number of emergency visits for asthma exacerbations highlights a current gap in patient education. Future research is warranted to further explore effective strategies to integrate weight management discussions into the comprehensive care of patients with asthma.