Assessment of the knowledge of asthma amongst adult asthmatics and their quality of life

• Main Author: Williams, Zelda Antoinette
• Other Authors: Potgieter, E. (Prof.)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Adult asthmatics; Asthma quality of life; Asthma control; Asthma knowledge; 616.2380092; Asthmatics > South Africa > Western Cape > Knowledge and learning > Evaluation; Asthmatics > Education > South Africa > Western Cape > Evaluation; Patient education > South Africa > Western Cape > Evaluation; Quality of life > South Africa > Western Cape
• Online Access: Williams, Zelda Antoinette (2009) Assessment of the knowledge of asthma amongst adult asthmatics and their quality of life, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/2481>; http://hdl.handle.net/10500/2481

Asthma is not a disease with a single etiology but a very complex syndrome. Irrespective of a better understanding of the pathophysiology of asthma and its related therapeutic regimens the disease still escalates in prevalence and severity. Characteristic features of chronicity and remission ensures a fertile ground for non-compliance by patients. This quantitative, descriptive study set out to determine the asthma knowledge, asthma control and quality of life of adult asthmatics who attended the respiratory outpatient clinic at Tygerberg Hospital. The purpose was to determine an association between asthma knowledge, asthma control and asthma quality of life. A statistically significant association was found between asthma control and asthma quality of life, not with knowledge of asthma for either of the concepts. Important gaps in knowledge were identified namely an inability to recognise nocturnal coughing as a risk factor. The increased role of nurse practitioners in asthma care is highly recommended. === Health Studies === M.A. (Health Studies)