Visual illness narratives of asthma: explanatory models and health-related behavior.
OBJECTIVE
To examine explanatory models of asthma and health-related behaviors.


METHODS
Children and adolescents with poorly controlled asthma used Video Intervention/Prevention Assessment (VIA) to generate visual illness narratives. Visual narratives were logged, structured using ATLAS.ti software, and coded for asthma-related beliefs and behaviors.


RESULTS
Participants' knowledge of asthma reflected biomedical models they had been taught, but explanatory models of its origin, natural history, and prognosis were more responsive to personal experience, anecdote, and cultural beliefs. Self-management and behavior were more powerfully affected by these models than by knowledge.


CONCLUSIONS
Understanding and responding to explanatory models of asthma management may be more important than education to improve asthma-related behaviors and adherence to medical plans.
Rich
Michael
M
Harvard Medical School, Children's Hospital Boston, Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, MA 02115, USA. michael.rich@tch.harvard.edu
Patashnick
Jennifer
J
Chalfen
Richard
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D001900:Boston; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D014743:Videotape Recording
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents