[Determinants of high risk illness behavior in patients with bronchial asthma]

The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing high-risk illness behaviour in patients with bronchial asthma. High-risk illness behaviour was defined as 1. non-compliance with antiasthmatic medication and 2. delaying or avoiding medical help when facing airways deterioration or severe attacks. 150 patients with bronchial asthma were investigated; 60 of them had participated in the structured Asthma Treatment and Teaching Programme (ATTP), 90 had not taken part in such a programme by then. Using structural equation models, lack of emotional support by a key figure, poor doctor-patient relationship, and a negative cortisone image were identified as predictors of high-risk illness behaviour in patients who had attended ATTP, while in patients without participation in a treatment and teaching programme, only a negative cortisone image was predictive of this criterion.