Perceived control may boost asthma health
29 November 2006

People with asthma who perceive themselves as having a high level of control over their condition are less likely to experience symptoms, says a new study.

Previous research has shown psychological factors, such as depression, can affect asthma symptoms but this study has specifically investigated the influence of perceived control.

Dr Mark D Eisner, and his team from the University of California, San Francisco, conducted telephone interviews with 865 people with asthma, who had been admitted to hospital with asthma-related symptoms.

The researchers administered a ‘Perceived Control of Asthma’ Questionnaire to participants, as well as finding out about their asthma history and where they lived.

Greater perceived control of asthma was linked to improvements in physical health and asthma-related quality of life. In addition, people with greater perceived control reported fewer days of restricted activity due to asthma and had lower asthma severity scores.

On further analysis, greater perceived control was linked to an 8% reduced risk of emergency hospital visits, and a 16% reduction in hospital admission due to asthma.

‘It’s important that people with asthma get the information they need to feel in control of their condition,’ said Erica Evans, Asthma UK’s Asthma Care Development Manager. ‘Also that doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals look at the way they communicate with people with asthma to give this sense of control.’