title: An exploratory study from the patients' perspective of living with allergies.
abstract: Allergic disease is one of the most prevalent chronic medical conditions in the world. Allergen avoidance has been accepted as a form of treatment for allergic disease; however, the success of treatment is often dependent on how patients choose to manage their condition. The purpose of this study was to explore how allergic conditions affect the lives of allergy sufferers and what information they believe would be useful to other allergy sufferers in the management of their allergic condition. Patients suffering from non-life-threatening allergies stated that their allergy affected many aspects of their life, such as their work, their social life, their emotional state, their physical appearance and, hence, their interactions with others. The chronic symptoms of their condition caused the greatest concern to patients. Many of these participants 'accepted their condition' and undertook controlling-measures as part of their daily life. In contrast, patients suffering from life-threatening allergies stated that their allergy did not affect their life. Knowledge of their allergic condition was more important than acceptance. The findings elicited from allergy sufferers identified how nurses can educate patients about their condition and assist them in learning to live with their condition.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing Research, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zernike
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Corish
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires