Table 1 Characteristics of the study population (n=189)

Age, n (%)

 ⩽45 years

 >45 years

Female, n (%)

School education, n (%)

 Low/medium/none

 High

Anxiety and depression^a, n (%)

 Neither

 Either

Years since asthma diagnosis, n (%)

 ⩽5 years

 >5 years

Reported needs in asthma treatment^b, n (%)

 Information on how asthma drugs operate^c

 Information from physician about side effects^c

 Information about interactions of asthma drugs with other medication^cd

 Information about how to take asthma medications^e

 Information about whether asthma inhaler may be taken more often than prescribed^e

 Practice under professional guidance how to handle your inhaler^e

 Information about what to do during an asthma attack^f

 Family members/friends know how to help during an asthma attack^f

 Practice under professional guidance breathing techniques^f

 Would like physician to ask about individual asthma triggers during diagnosis^g

 Would like physician to consider personal circumstances to a larger extent in asthma treatment^g

 Would like physician to consider patient’s asthma knowledge to a larger extent^g

 Would like physician to make more time in case of special requests^g