Perceptions about self-management among people with severe asthma.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions about self-management among people who were being followed up in a severe asthma clinic by asthma specialists for confirmed, overall severe asthma. Such insight informs how best to tailor programs for this difficult to treat patient population.


METHODS
In-depth tape-recorded interviews of eight adults with severe asthma were transcribed and analyzed for salient themes using content analysis.


RESULTS
To self-manage their illness, over time participants sought asthma information from a variety of sources that they often viewed as inadequate due to lack of scope and or plain language. The most valued sources of asthma information were encountered after referral to an asthma specialist and were health professionals and a pulmonary rehabilitation program.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a need to examine the content of asthma information sources for their relevance to and influence on the behavior of patients with severe asthma.
Ross
Carolyn Jean Mary
CJ
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G3. carolyn.ross@ualberta.ca
Williams
Beverly A
BA
Low
Gail
G
Vethanayagam
Dilini
D
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D012648:Self Care