title: Personality, adherence, asthma control and health-related quality of life in young adult asthmatics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Striving for improved adherence and asthma control is of vital concern in today's asthma management. Several influential factors have been identified, but the importance of personality traits has been insufficiently explored. The aim was first to determine whether personality traits in young adult asthmatics are related to asthma control and health-related quality of life (HRQL), and second to examine the influences of personality traits on adherence to regular asthma medication treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Young adult asthmatics, 22 years of age (n=268) completed questionnaires. Statistical analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The personality traits Negative Affectivity and Impulsivity correlated negatively with asthma control, whereas in women Hedonic Capacity correlated positively with asthma control. Negative Affectivity, Impulsivity, Hedonic Capacity, Alexithymia and asthma control predicted the mental dimension of HRQL. Asthma control and physical activity predicted the physical dimension of HRQL. Among respondents with regular asthma medication (n=109), Impulsivity correlated negatively with adherence. In men, Antagonism and Alexithymia were associated with low adherence. Additionally, Alexithymia, Hedonic Capacity and Negative Affectivity showed non-linear relationships with adherence, meaning that initially increased scores on these personality traits scales were associated with increased adherence but higher scores did not increase adherence. Respondents who were prescribed a single inhaler combining ICS and LABA reported higher adherence than those with monotherapies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that personality can influence how asthma patients adhere to asthma medication treatment, and report their control and HRQL. Tools determining personality traits may be useful in the future in individualizing management of asthma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden. malin.axelsson@hv.se
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Axelsson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emilsson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brink
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lundgren
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Torén
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lötvall
mesh_terms: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents