COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ASTHMA CONTROL: SELF-PERCEPTION VS GINA GUIDELINE IN PATIENTS ATTENDING A SPECIALIST CLINIC...

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Clinical Research
• Patient Self-Assessment

Context:

• Asthma control is vital for reducing patient morbidity and enhancing quality of life.
• Discrepancies exist between patient self-perception of asthma control and clinical measures like Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines.
• Understanding these perception gaps is crucial for optimizing asthma management in specialist settings.

Purpose:

• To compare self-perceived asthma control with Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA)-defined standards.
• To identify discrepancies in asthma control perception among Nigerian patients.
• To inform strategies for improving patient outcomes in Nigeria.

Summary:

• A cross-sectional study involving 100 asthma patients in Nigeria compared self-perceived control with GINA criteria.
• A statistically significant association (ꭓ² = 43.876, p = 0.001) was found between perceived and GINA-defined asthma control.
• While patients generally perceived their asthma well, the highest agreement was in the 'well-controlled' group, indicating a need for continuous education.

Impact:

• Findings underscore the importance of patient education in asthma management.
• Improved understanding of self-perception versus clinical control can lead to better treatment adherence.
• This research can guide specialist clinics in Nigeria to refine patient education strategies for enhanced asthma outcomes.