WHAT PATIENTS KNOW ABOUT THEIR ASTHMA

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Abstract
Knowledge about asthma and its management was assessed by questionnaire in adult outpatients of a teaching hospital and in attenders of a community asthma information program. The hospital outpatients were older, less well educated and suffered more severe, chronic asthma than the program attenders. Nevertheless the groups did not substantially differ in their knowledge about asthma. The subgroup of hospital outpatients with prior exposure to asthma educational material and with multiple past hospital admissions had significantly higher overall asthma knowledge scores.Both groups had poor knowledge about the treatment of asthma emergencies. Other gaps in knowledge related to asthma triggers (particularly aspirin and food additives), the utility of allergy tests and swimming and room vaporisers in the control of asthma.The identification of both gaps in asthma knowledge and of the subgroups of patients with poor overall knowledge is important if patient education by clinicians or health educators is to be successful. Gaps in knowledge of crisis management common to both groups studied are particularly disturbing given that asthma is a common disease with significant preventable mortality and morbidity.