A community-based cross-sectional study on knowledge, attitude, and perceptions about asthma among healthy adults in rural South India

• Main Authors: Jefferson Daniel, Leeberk Raja Inbaraj, Sam Jenkins, Prashant Hanumanthappa Ramamurthy, Rita Isaac
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021-01-01
• Series: Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
• Subjects: asthma; community; kap; perception of asthma
• Online Access: http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2021;volume=10;issue=5;spage=1956;epage=1962;aulast=Daniel

Background: Evidence suggests that proper knowledge and perceptions about asthma result in a positive correlation with compliance with medications and regular medical follow-up. Assessing the level of knowledge, attitude, and perception (KAP) in the community is essential for planning public health interventions. There is a lacuna on community-based KAP study on asthma in rural India, as most of the existing evidence is from hospital-based studies in an urban setting. Methods: We interviewed 280 healthy adults from 14 villages in South India using the Chicago community asthma survey-32 (CCAS-32) questionnaire. We noted the frequency distribution of responses to the questions and scored KAP on symptoms, triggers, and treatment, and performed bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The mean age was 37.7 years ranging from 18 to 62 years. Almost half of them (47%) had primary or middle school education. 40.7% and 57.9% believed severe headache and tightness of chest were symptoms of asthma, respectively. Similarly, 38.2% and 48.4% thought asthma was a hereditary and contagious disease, respectively, whereas 41.8% of perceived asthma medications could be addictive. Having witnessed “patients with asthma” was associated with KAP on symptoms and triggers while younger age and having a relative with asthma were associated with KAP on treatment independently. Participants who had relatives with asthma were three times [(OR 3.04; 95% (1.5–6.1)] more likely to have good KAP compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: Asthma knowledge and perceptions are sparse in rural India. Adequate investments in public awareness are the need of the hour.