Asthma patients’ views and experiences of self-management in Malaysia: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Asthma self-management skills in Malaysia are reportedly poor despite evidence of self-management improved asthma outcomes. We aimed to explore asthma patients’ views and experiences of self-management. Methods: Adults with asthma were purposively selected from an urban primary healthcare clinic in Klang District, Malaysia. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results: 24 participants within the age range of 22-69 years from diverse ethnicity, socioeconomic background and asthma duration were recruited. Influenced by the hot/cold concept of disease, asthma self-management practices involved food, rubs or apparel used to ‘warm up’ or ‘cool down’. Self-management skills were based on an interplay between personal experience, self-beliefs, family influence and health care practitioner’s advice; asthma action plans were poorly understood and modified for use. Confidence in self-management improved when perceived positive outcomes were achieved, irrespective of whether self-management strategy is appropriate or not. Participants expressed a strong desire for better support from health care practitioners on asthma self-management. Conclusion: Asthma self-management practices were learnt experientially based on personal experiences and beliefs guided by sociocultural influences and advice from health care practitioners, family and friends. There is a need for better patient-health care practitioner partnerships to develop self-management skills. Funder: NIHR RESPIRE Global Health Research Unit and is written on behalf of the RESPIRE collaboration.