Study of Aerosol Therapy Compliance in Bronchial Asthmatics

Abstract

Asthma is commonly controllable but often neglected disease associated with huge burden to family and society. It is important to obtain optimal control to improve quality of life in asthmatics. The suboptimal control of disease occurs due to very poor adherence to aerosol therapy. Objective is to study the aerosol therapy compliance in bronchial asthmatics and the factors responsible for non compliance of aerosol therapy and effect of repeated health education on compliance. It is a prospective study where patient was followed up monthly for three months for collecting data and checking the compliance. This study included 113 bronchial asthmatics who were taking aerosol therapy for 1 or more years. After three months it was observed that only 45 patient (39.82%) were compliant and 68 (60.17%) were non compliant to aerosol therapy as advised by doctor, after employing various strategies, compliance improved in 22 (32.35%) of the previously compliant patients. Factors responsible for poor compliance were low level of education, patients from poor socioeconomic strata, poorly accessible pharmacy, adverse effect and fear of adverse effect (forgetfulness busy life style, ill altitude to chronic condition) felt better with medications, negligence dislike medication. Non compliance with treatment is an eminent challenge in asthma management and various compliance improving strategies can helpful to improve compliance in few patient.