Evaluation of asthma knowledge and quality of life in Hungarian asthmatics.
BACKGROUND
The objective was to develop an educational instrument, to assess its impact as an intervention instrument and to examine quality of life (QoL).


METHODS
119 asthmatics were randomized (64 in the intervention and 55 in the reference group). The education instrument was developed based on the EuroPharm-Forum Guidelines and its impact assessed by a self-developed questionnaire. Patients' QoL, asthma knowledge was assessed twice, once before and after the education seminar, education was only provided for the intervention group. QoL was measured with the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and a visual analogue scale (VAS).


RESULTS
We found significant differences in answers to the asthma questions, by 40% improvement, but no changes in the control group. In inhaler-use technique, we could not find significant changes neither in the intervention nor in the control group. There were no significant differences between the results of the two visits neither with the VAS nor with the SGRQ on the QoL data.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that asthmatics experience lower QoL. As the subjects were regularly controlled asthmatics they had better general knowledge and inhaler-use technique was expected. The results suggest that it is necessary to regularly refresh asthma knowledge, to assess patients' self-management plans to achieve long-term effectiveness of asthma management.
Meszaros
A
A
University Pharmacy Institute of Pharmacy Administration, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Orosz
M
M
Magyar
P
P
Mesko
A
A
Vincze
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents