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Annual Congress of Malaysian Thoracic Society
PP 10
Asthma Knowledge And Practices Amongst
Our Primary Care Attenders
Siti F Badlishah Sham 1 , Siti N M Ibrahim 1 , Nafiza Mat Nasir 1 , Farnaza Ariffin 1 ,
Mazapuspavina Md Yasin 1 , Maizatullifah Miskan 1 , Ambigga Devi 1 , Ng Kien Keat 1 ,
Raja Ahmad Shaharul Raja Malek 1 , Anis Safura Ramli 1 , Jemah Sajari 2 , Rozlan Ishak 3
1
Primary Care Medicine Discipline, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia
2
Klinik Kesihatan Taman Ehsan, Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia
3
Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Gombak, Bandar Baru Selayang, Selangor, Malaysia
Background
Patients’ knowledge regarding asthma is an essential component of their asthma management in improving
adherence leading to better control, but is often neglected.
Objective
To evaluate patients’ knowledge and practices with regards to their asthma in accordance with the Global
Initiative for Asthma Guidelines (GINA 2010).
Methods
A cross-sectional study assessing knowledge and practices amongst adult asthmatic patients (age ≥ 18)
was carried out in two public primary care clinics in Selangor from January to February 2011. Patients were
interviewed using a modified questionnaire based on the GINA2010 which included demographic details,
basic knowledge of symptoms and triggers of an asthma attack and patients’ response as well as patients’
practices at home with regards to their asthma.
Results
100 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 47.09 years (SD+15.0) with a male/female ratio of
1:1.17 (46:54). Most of the respondents had basic knowledge regarding symptoms and triggers of an asthma
attack, but only 68% would attend a clinic presenting with an acute attack. Twenty-six percent of the patients
were found to have inappropriately used the prophylactic steroid inhaler during an acute attack. In addition,
almost all the patients (99%) did not record home symptoms and only 3% monitored PEFR readings at home.
Conclusion
Patient’s knowledge of asthma is still inadequate in some key areas leading to poor control of their asthma.
Thus, it is imperative for patients to receive proper education, training and encouragement in order to empower
them to manage their condition.
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