Avoidance of allergens by the patients with bronchial asthma

Association between environmental allergens and bronchial asthma is well established. A great number of substances found in the environment can precipitate or aggravate respiratory symptoms in asthmatics. Avoiding allergens is recognized as an integral part of management. Through various educational interventions the patients can be taught various measures to avoid these allergens. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of 'self care manual' an educational intervention on the avoidance of various environmental allergens.

The total enrolled patients were 523 of which 260 were included in the study group to whom 'self care manual' was given and 263 in the control group with no access to self care manual. A fourteen items interview schedule consisting of three parts was administered. The first two subparts were in the form of checklist to know the various allergens which were inducing symptoms in the patients and weather they could avoid these triggers. The third part which was open ended was administered to know their ways of avoiding these triggers. All the patients were followed up at 2 weeks, 6 months and at 1 year.

Mean age of the subjects in both the groups was 36.72 +/- 11.52 years and 34.33 +/- 12.86 years respectively. Both the groups were comparable on majority of the socio-demographic variables. The number of patients whose symptoms were aggravated by a particular triggering factor reduced significantly on each successive visit in the study group. Almost all the patients started avoiding their triggers in follow-ups in the study group. In control group this change was only for few triggers. More and more patients started using inhalers on exposure to dust or triggering weather conditions. They started slowing down for exercises and diverted their attentions against triggering emotional situations.

Patient education should be an essential component in the overall management of bronchial asthma. Control of asthma symptoms is better achieved with avoidance of allergens. This can be accomplished by emphasizing these facts particularly with the use of self care manuals.