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Psychological factors in severe chronic asthma
1Liaison Psychiatry Department, John Hunter Hospital, New South Wales, Australia. mvamos@mail.newcastle.edu.au
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
|September 14, 1999
Summary
Patients with severe asthma experience significant psychological distress and low asthma knowledge, with psychosocial factors not improving knowledge. Interventions should focus on distress relief, not just education.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Psychology
- Health Education
Background:
- Severe asthma patients often face psychological distress and challenges in emotional adjustment to their illness.
- Social support plays a crucial role in the well-being of individuals managing chronic conditions like asthma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess psychological distress, social support, and emotional adjustment in severe asthma patients.
- To examine the interrelationships between these factors and their predictive ability for self-management knowledge.
Main Methods:
- 80 severe asthma patients from a specialized clinic participated.
- Self-report instruments measured anxiety, depression, social support, emotional adjustment, and asthma knowledge.
- Case records provided data on morbidity and asthma management.
Main Results:
- 25% of patients showed signs of anxiety, 10.3% of depression.
- 25% reported inadequate social support.
- Asthma knowledge levels were critically low; psychosocial factors did not predict knowledge.
Conclusions:
- Severe asthma is linked to high psychological distress and low asthma knowledge, irrespective of educational efforts.
- Patient attitudes towards asthma are complex and influenced by distress and morbidity.
- Current interventions may not effectively translate into improved practical asthma knowledge.