title: Personality and reasons for not using asthma medication in young adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify young adults' stated reasons for not taking asthma medication and to determine the significance of personality, asthma control and health-related quality of life in relation to these stated reasons.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Reasons for non-adherence to asthma medication treatment have previously been studied, but research on the significance of personality in relation to stated reasons for not taking asthma medication is limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  Young adults with asthma (age 22 years; n = 216) stated their most common reasons for not taking asthma medication and completed postal questionnaires on personality, asthma control and health-related quality of life (HRQL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common reason for non-adherence was "No perceived need" (n = 141). Participants giving this reason for not taking asthma medication scored lower on the personality trait Negative Affectivity and reported both higher asthma control and higher mental HRQL. "Insufficient routines" was the second most common reason (n = 66), and participants stating it scored higher on Negative Affectivity and reported lower asthma control. An increase in asthma control increased the odds of stating "No perceived need" as the reason for not taking asthma medication. An increase in Negative Affectivity was associated with an increase in the odds of giving "Insufficient routines" as a reason.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The personality trait Negative Affectivity and perceived asthma control played a role in the young adults' stated reasons for not taking asthma medication, which indicates that these parameters are of importance to young adults' medication management.
authors.affiliation: Krefting Research Centre, Institute of Medicine, Internal Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Axelsson, Box 424, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden. malin.axelsson@gu.se
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Axelsson
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ACT; Adherence; Disease control; HP5i; HRQL; MCS; Medication behavior; PCS; SD; asthma control test; health-related quality of life; health-relevant personality 5 factor inventory; mental component score; physical component score; standard deviation