Correlação entre o conhecimento acerca dos fatores de risco e cuidados na asma com o nível de controle da doença em adultos da região Nordeste do Brasil

Abstract

Introduction: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, characterized by bronchial hyperresponsiveness and reversible airflow obstruction. The primary goal of asthma treatment is to achieve and maintain long-term disease control, providing patients with an improved quality of life. Active patient involvement plays a crucial role in the effective management of the disease, as the level of knowledge about asthma and preventive measures directly influences the prevention of exacerbations and disease control. In this context, it is essential for patients to be aware of the factors triggering asthma exacerbations, as well as self-management strategies, to understand the elements that can aid or hinder the process of managing the disease. Objective: To correlate the knowledge about risk factors and care related to asthma with the level of disease control among the adult population in the Northeast region of Brazil. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional and observational study involving adults diagnosed with asthma, residing in the Northeast region of Brazil. The assessment of asthma control was conducted using the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) rapid symptom screening questionnaire, and participants' knowledge about the disease, asthma crisis triggers, and asthma care was evaluated using a self-administered form made available on the JotformⓇ platform. Results: The study included 124 adults, with a mean age of 39 years (± 12.3). Participants were divided into two groups: 66.13% had uncontrolled asthma, and 33.87% had controlled or partially controlled asthma. A moderate and positive correlation was observed among participants with controlled or partially controlled asthma who used a written action plan and adhered to spacer use (r = 0.331, p = 0.029). Additionally, a moderate and negative correlation was identified between participants' understanding of asthma and its risks and living with smokers (r = -0.337, p = 0.029). Among participants with uncontrolled asthma, a moderate and negative correlation was found between active smoking and undergoing spirometry tests for pulmonary function evaluation (r = -0.250, p = 0.024). Furthermore, there was a moderate and positive correlation between participants hospitalized due to asthma in the past 12 months and their level of disease control (r = 0.222, p = 0.045). Finally, a strong and positive correlation was observed between participants' understanding of asthma and its risks and their comprehension of the factors causing exacerbations (r = 0.302, p = 0.006). Conclusion: Knowledge about asthma, combined with self-management strategies such as written action plans and spacer use, proved fundamental in disease management, highlighting the importance of health education strategies. Although most participants reported being knowledgeable about asthma and its risk factors, a significant proportion had uncontrolled asthma, suggesting that knowledge must be coupled with structured, continuous, and diverse educational health strategies