title: [Psychological stress and quality of life in patients with persistent asthma in Manzanillo, Cuba].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychological stress is part of people's lives and can sometimes contribute to exacerbation of allergic diseases such as asthma. Asthma is prevalent in all age groups. Acute asthma attacks can be triggered by stress, thus impacting control of the disease and overall quality of life in these patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to evaluate the presence of psychological stress as a trigger in poorly controlled asthma patients and its implications in their quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive study was conducted in the city of Manzanillo, Cuba, in the course of one year, from January to December, 2010, which included 33 patients with persistent asthma. They were grouped according to severity as suffering from moderate or severe asthma, and all of them met the criteria for poorly controlled disease. They were surveyed to gather data about family and personal history of atopy, age of first asthma crisis, and environmental as well as other factors. Two surveys were used: a list of indicators of vulnerability to stress and the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most patients with poorly controlled asthma were in their forties. Female patients were more frequently affected than men were (28 females or 84.8%, and 5 males or 15.1%), and most patients had a family history of atopic disease. Almost all patients had high vulnerability to stress as well as low overall quality of life in all the areas surveyed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological counseling is advised for asthma patients in order to reduce their stress levels.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de Granma, Manzanillo, Cuba. Edificio 64 Apartamento A-6 Reparto Pérez, Manzanillo, Granma Cuba. Electronic address: maria@ucm.grm.sld.cu.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodríguez Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de Granma, Manzanillo, Cuba.
authors.forename: Pedro Manuel
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rodríguez  Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Docente "Celia Sánchez Manduley", Cuba.
authors.forename: Ileana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brocard Arencibia
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Docente "Celia Sánchez Manduley", Cuba.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menéndez Porto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003462:Cuba; D005144:F Factor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: asthma; psychological stress; quality of life