More than 70% of people do not have a confirmed diagnosis, and in 9 out of 10 cases it is associated with other respiratory pathologies.stories like allergies respiratory, asthma or persistent COVID.
In the framework of the World Chronic Cough Day (15 of October), the high-performance Fundación lovexair launches new content en HappyAir Chronic Cough to raise awareness about a condition that continues to go unnoticed, despite its significant impact on quality of life of the people affected.
La chronic cough It is defined as that which lasts eight weeks or more in adults y four weeks or more in children. Although its actual prevalence remains unclear due to the underdiagnosis, it is estimated that in Spain it affects between 5,5% and the 7% of the population, while international studies raise the figure to 20%.
HappyAir Chronic Cough: A Space for Patients and Caregivers
As part of its commitment to respiratory health, Lovexair Foundation has Creado HappyAir Chronic Cough, an online space with free, practical, and high-quality educational resources to better understand this condition: its possible causes, treatment options, and daily management guidelines.
Among the tools available is the questionnaire “Know the impact of chronic cough”, short and free online test which allows us to measure how coughing interferes with daily life.
Preliminary results: an X-ray of chronic cough . and Latin America
In the last two months, more than 150 people have participated in the test, of which 69 (46%) are from SpainThe initial findings show that chronic cough primarily affects middle-aged women, but most of them do not have a confirmed diagnosis.
According to the test data:
- 64% women, mainly in the range of 41 to 60 years (57%).
- 72% does not have a confirmed diagnosis.
- En 9 in 10 casesChronic cough is associated with another respiratory condition. Among the most common are: respiratory allergies (15%), asthma (14%) and long COVID (10%). These are followed by sleep apnea, COPD, bronchiectasis, LAM, among other chronic respiratory pathologies.
- In general, the most consulted specialists are the pulmonologists (25%) and the family doctors (24%). In Spain, they are followed by otorhinolaryngologists (11%) and internists (10%), while in Latin America, they are followed by gastroenterologists (8%).
On the other hand, between 8% of patients in Spain and 18% in Latin America admit not having yet consulted any specialist.
- El 30% of the participants indicated that coughing has an impact high or very high in their daily lives, interfering with work, social relationships, family life, and even their mood. Among those most affected, the most problematic aspect is the frequency of coughing during the day (98%), followed by limitations in daily life (94%) and intense episodes that they cannot control (88%). To a lesser extent, they mention sleep disruptions (59%) and emotional impact, such as anxiety or depression (55%). This same order of importance is also observed in the total group of respondents.
Although cough is commonly associated with SmokingThe results of this survey show that more than half of respondents (56%) do not smoke and have never smoked. This underscores the importance of considering other possible causes behind this condition.
A multidisciplinary approach
HappyAir Chronic Cough It is an initiative of the Lovexair Foundation, developed with the participation of patients and healthcare professionals.
The program offers educational resources and brings together professionals from different disciplines—primary care physicians, pulmonologists, physical therapists, otolaryngologists, speech therapists, and pharmacists—who provide a comprehensive view of this condition and share useful information for patients, family members, and caregivers.
All information is available at 👉 https://happyair.org/tos-cronica/
La Lovexair Foundation It develops support programs for patients and caregivers affected by respiratory diseases, with the goal of improving their quality of life and promoting healthy habits. It also promotes learning and collaboration communities in research and innovation (R&D), where active patients play a key role, contributing knowledge and experiences that contribute to collective progress.
More information: https://happyair.org/tos-cronica/
Last updated on 13 October, 2025
