Health care

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder affecting all age groups. Though the revolutionary changes are noticed in the pharmaceutical and technological advancements, the prevalence of asthma is still in rise worldwide. Raising prevalence and asthma control are negatively associated. Uncontrolled asthma and ineffective management remains a public health challenge in the developing countries like India. Aim: The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of structured educational intervention on self care management of Bronchial asthma. Methods: Study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of structured asthma educational program on self care management of Bronchial asthma. Design: Experimental Pre test-post test control group design was chosen. Sample were selected randomly in to experimental (n=100) and control (n=50) groups. The Pre-test means between experimental (4.630) and control (4.780) groups were not much significant. There is a significant improvement within the pre test (mean 19.930; S.D 8.84)) and Post test scores in the experimental group (mean 42.31/S.D 3.449). The post test means between experimental (42.31) and control groups (21.28) supports the significant enhancement in the knowledge of the experimental group after asthma education. Conclusion: Patient education makes the disease management cost effective and more comprehensive. Introduction: Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder affecting all age groups. Though the revolutionary changes are noticed in the pharmaceutical and technological advancements, the prevalence of asthma is still in rise worldwide. Raising prevalence and asthma control are negatively associated. The most common reasons are non adherence to treatment, poor knowledge and skills in disease management (GINA guidelines, 2007). Uncontrolled asthma and ineffective management remains a public health challenge in the developing countries like India. Asthma has been defined as “a disease characterized by hyper responsiveness of the airways to various stimuli and manifested by slowing or forced expiration, which changes in severity either spontaneously or with treatment. The World Health Organization recognizes asthma as a disease of public health importance. Asthma affects 300 million people worldwide (Aggarwal AN, et all, 2006; GINA 2007). Despite advancement in science and technology and pharmacological revolutions, worldwide asthma prevalence is still not adequately controlled. The most common reasons for uncontrolled asthma are non adherence to treatment, poor knowledge and skills in disease management. There is a noticeable increase in health care burden from asthma in several areas of the world (Ghosh CS et al, 1998). Changing life styles and urbanization, Industrialization, environmental pollution and frequency and intensity of exposure to environmental dust and smoke are some of the common predisposing factors for the increasing prevalence of the condition. Inadequate information on the prevention of the exposure to asthma triggers and inability to prevent acute attacks and ineffective use of inhalers are the common reasons for the uncontrolled asthma. Asthma due to its effects on bronchial passage compromises the respiration and intern effects physical and psycho-social aspects of life and impairs the quality of life. Asthma education is the vital component in disease control and self management. Patient education makes the disease management cost effective and comprehensive. Literature Review/ Background: The estimated burden of asthma in India is an overall prevalence of 3% (30 million of people) and among adults over the age of 15 years are 2.4 % (Aggarwal et al 2006). Lack of awareness and misconceptions among asthmatic patients can be due to lack of educational programs for patients (Williams et al 2004). Rai et al (2007) emphasizes on the asthmatic patients’ need for adequate information on disease process and self care. Prabhakaran et al, (2006) reported that well-structured asthma education with reinforcing by the health care professionals is the key to achieve effective self-care management of asthma. If patients understand the risks of non-compliance and benefits of compliance and believe the treatment is safe, it will increase their motivation and confidence to improve their self-management practices (GINA report 2005). Aim: The present study aims to assess the effectiveness of asthma education on knowledge related to self care management of bronchial asthma. Objectives: To assess the knowledge related to triggering factors, warning signs and measures of prevention and self care management among asthma patients. To evaluate the effectiveness of Asthma education on patient knowledge levels in comparison of pre and post test scores. Methodology; The study was a quantitative approach. An Experimental study was conducted to assess the knowledge on asthma among adult asthmatic patients. Pre-test Post-test control group design was chosen for the study. Among the patients with confirmed diagnosis of asthma, sample were selected in to experimental group (n=100) and control group (n-50) by simple random sampling. The sample were pre tested with the help of a structured Questionnaire and after the pre test the structured asthma education, which was prepared tailored to the learning needs of the subjects was administered. Inclusion criteria; Bronchial asthma patients between the age group of 21 to 60 years Asthma patients who knows Telugu and/or Hindi and/or English languages. Exclusion criteria; Patients with clinical history of psychiatric disorders. Patients with any associated acute illnesses and with other chronic medical conditions involving breathing difficulties The study was conducted at the Government General Hospital, Hyderabad, which is 650 bedded tertiary health care setting covering the patients attending from all over the state with respiratory diseases. Knowledge scores were interpreted in to below av-