Main Article Content

Factors associated with the appropriate use of asthma medications among adult asthmatic patients attending asthma clinic in a teaching hospital


Victoria Sakyibea Aboagye
Kofi Adesi Kyei
Priscilla Awo Nortey
Doris Kitson-Mills
Joseph Daniels
Clement Korsah

Abstract

Introduction: asthma tends to be more severe with worse symptoms in Africa due to late diagnosis and delayed initiation of treatment. To identify patient and treatment-related factors which influence the appropriate use of asthma medications.


Methods: the study was institution based cross-sectional design. Patients were invited to provide information regarding the use of their asthma medications and factors potentially associated with appropriate use of these medications. A stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the most important factor at a 0.05 level of significance.


Results: respondents with better knowledge of their asthma medications were more likely to use them appropriately (OR 5.82 [CI 95% 2.25-15.04]) as were those with positive attitudes and beliefs towards asthma and asthma medications (OR 3.88 [CI 95% 1.44-10.44]).


Conclusion: patients need to understand the importance of adhering to the prescribed regimen for their asthma medications even in the absence of overt symptoms in order to optimize clinical outcome.


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1937-8688