How does health literacy affect health in adults with asthma?

Low health literacy is common, especially among those with low socioeconomic status, the elderly, and those whose primary language is not English, reflecting limited educational opportunities. The severity and complexity of asthma tends to be high in these same patients. One theory explaining poor asthma outcomes among disadvantaged patients is that health literacy affects their ability to manage one or more health problems like asthma.

In this study, published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), Apter et al examine how health literacy is related to asthma self-management. Patients with moderate-severe asthma were recruited from clinics serving low-income urban neighborhoods. Health literacy was measured by a standard test of reading and understanding medical information (print literacy) and a test of numerical concepts needed for patient to manage asthma (numeracy). Then participants’ subsequent management of medications, measured as electronically recorded use of inhaled steroid medication, and asthma status were assessed prospectively for 26 weeks. Two hundred eighty-four patients participated in the study. The average age was 48, most were female, most were African American, and baseline measurement of lung function (FEV1) showed moderately severe asthma. Almost one third had been hospitalized and more than half had required an Emergency Department visit for asthma in the previous year. Most patients had adequate reading scores and answered between 2 and 3 out of 4 numeracy questions correctly. On average patients took about 66% of prescribed inhaled steroid doses during the study.

Higher health literacy scores, whether measured as numeracy or print literacy, were associated with better adherence to prescribed medication, fewer symptoms, and better quality of life from asthma when controlling for age and sex. These associations were diminished somewhat when adjusting for race/ethnicity that was highly correlated with household income and educational status. That is, the effect of minority status which was associated with poorer outcomes could not be separated from the effect of poverty and limited educational opportunities on asthma outcomes.

This study shows the relationship between literacy and health is complex and supports the importance of considering health literacy when clinicians communicate with patients. Finding ways to account for and address the literacy needs of patients may improve asthma outcomes. In the long-term addressing poverty and educational opportunities is essential for better health.

Reference information: www.aaaai.org/

The information aims to provide educational purpose only. Anyone reading it should consult physician before considering treatment and should not rely on the information above.

Enjoy Your Stay with Allergies and Asthma

Hotel rooms often have a lot of dust mites and molds in carpeting, mattresses and upholstered furniture. Fumes from cleaning products may also cause problems. Ask for a "green" room if available. If you are allergic to dust mites, you may want to bring your own dust-proof, zippered covers.

If you are sensitive to molds, request a sunny, dry room away from areas near indoor pools. Also, if you have allergies to any animals, ask about the hotel's pet policy, and request a room that has been pet-free.
Visiting family and friends in their homes can be risky if you have allergies or asthma. For instance, during the holidays, dust mites on ornaments and decorations, molds on Christmas trees, wet leaves and logs for wood-burning stoves and perfumes from scented candles can all trigger allergy or asthma symptoms.

If you have pet allergies, your trip may be more enjoyable if you avoid staying in the homes of family or friends with pets.

People with food allergies should be careful about eating home-cooked foods that may contain hidden food allergens

Reference information: http://www.aaaai.org/

The information aims to provide educational purpose only. Anyone reading it should consult physician before considering treatment and should not rely on the information above.

Asthma in Hong Kong persecptive

Asthma is a common condition that affects more than 10% of the population. Asthma is defined as reversible airway obstruction. It is caused by narrowing of the lower airways due to inflammation, and is therefore a disease of airway inflammation. Asthma patients might be normal most of the time, but when the disease exacerbates, the patient would cough, wheeze, and feel tight in the chest and short of breath.

Asthmatic tendency is genetically determined, but the disease is triggered by external factors. Asthma most commonly starts during childhood, and the two most common causes are allergy and infection. Before the age of three, asthma is more commonly caused by virus infection, and the most common culprits are Respiratory Syncythial Virus (RSV), Rhinovirus and Adenovirus. Acute infections with these viruses can lead to croup, and patients develop high fever, cough, wheezing and dyspnea. In susceptible individuals, croup during the first two years of life can subsequently lead to recurrent wheezing illnesses.

However, this problem often improves with age and goes into remission by about 8 years of age. Allergic asthma, on the other hand, often persists into adulthood. Even in those patients who seem to outgrow their asthma during their teens, recent studies have shown that many of them will develop asthma symptoms again in their 30s and 40s. The majority of patients with allergic asthma also suffer from allergic rhinitis, since both conditions are caused by allergen exposure. The most common allergens include house dust mites, cockroach, animal dander, mold spores and pollens.




Reference information:  www.allergy.hk

The information aims to provide educational purpose only. Anyone reading it should consult physician before considering treatment and should not rely on the information above.