Young adults describe uncertainty in self-management of asthma

Although multiple studies have shown that a high proportion of young adults with asthma do not achieve asthma control, that adherence to asthma medication is low and that there is inadequate self-management of the disease, the underlying reasons have not been fully explored.

To explore young adults' experiences of self-managing their asthma treatment.

A qualitative study using individual semi-structured interviews with young adults with current asthma (n = 15), recruited from an ongoing population-based birth cohort. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and the transcribed data were analyzed using systematic text condensation.

The participants' experiences of managing their asthma treatment resulted in four categories: "unsure of how to treat my asthma," "my everyday life affects the treatment," "difficulties in maintaining contact with healthcare," and "medicate only when needed." The young adults described being unsure of which medication to use when and how to use their inhalers. Due to the business of life, they sometimes forgot to take medication. Furthermore, they described that it was hard to get prescriptions for medication or checkups for their asthma. Many used their asthma medication only when exercising or when symptoms appeared.

The young adults described both challenges in and strategies for self-management of their asthma, yet commonly expressed uncertainty regarding appropriate treatment actions. To overcome these barriers, person-centered support and education from healthcare providers are essential to empower young adults for improved asthma self-management.