The health behaviour and clinical characteristics of ambulance users with acute asthma.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to determine if ambulance service users differ in their health behaviours to "walk-in" patients attending an emergency department (ED) with acute asthma.


METHODS
Retrospective cross-sectional study of people with acute asthma stratified by ambulance use attending two ED. The health-promoting lifestyle profile and health risk appraisal tools assessed health and risk-taking behaviours, and the clinical variables assessed include: forced expiratory volume in 1 s, admission rates, severity, asthma medications, anxiety and depression.


RESULTS
Of the 142 patients, 26% used the ambulance service as transport to the ED. Ambulance users were significantly older than walk-in patients (40 vs 32 years, p < or = 0.05) and were less likely to return to follow-up appointments (odds ratio (OR) 2.93, 95% CI 1.16 to 7.37). Walk-in patients were more likely to report higher levels of education (OR 4.36, 95% CI 1.11 to 17.09). There was no difference between the groups for health-promoting behaviours. In reducing risks to their health and after adjusting for age and gender, there was a trend towards ambulance users undertaking preventive health measures more often than walk-in patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Ambulance users with acute asthma are more likely to be older, married and less educated. There is no evidence that this group is less responsible in managing their health; however, fewer ambulance users attended their follow-up appointment and the implication for ongoing care requires further investigation.
Smith
S M S
SM
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Department of Primary Health Care, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. sheree.smith@imperial.nhs.uk
Mitchell
C
C
Bowler
S D
SD
Heneghan
C
C
Perera
R
R
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000552:Ambulances / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012648:Self Care; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors