PERCEIVED STRESS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH COPING STRATEGIES AMONG ADULTS WITH ASTHMA IN ILE-IFE, NIGERIA

Abstract

SESSION TITLE: Tuesday Abstract Posters SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/22/2019 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM PURPOSE: Asthma is one of the most chronic diseases globally and coping with asthma may be associated with stress. There is paucity of data on perceived stress among asthmatics in Nigeria. We aim to determine the extent of perceived stress and its relationship with coping strategies among adults with asthma. METHODS: We consecutively recruited 49 adult asthmatics (mean age 38.0±16.8; 32 Females; FEV1% predicted 69.5%±24.0) from the Respiratory Clinic of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria in a cross-sectional, descriptive study. They completed a self-administered questionnaire containing Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) Scale, and specific asthma coping questionnaire together with social demographic variables. RESULTS: A total of 65% (32/49) of participants had perceived stress scores of ≥28. Asthmatics with high perceived stress are significantly younger than those with low perceived stress (32.4 ± 14.3 vs 44.53±19.73; p = 0.03). There were no significant difference between those with high perceived stress level and low perceived stress level in terms of gender, age of onset of asthma, self-rated severity of asthma and number of emergency visits in the last one year. The mean scores for asthmatics with high stress level is generally higher compared with those with low stress level. However, it is only significant in the planning subscale (5.8 ± 1.7 vs 4.6 ± 1.6; p = 0.02). Also, the mean score of those with high stress level is significantly higher in the adaptive coping strategy (45.1 ± 9.3 vs 39.2 ± 8.2; p = 0.03). For asthma specific coping scale, there are no significant differences between those with high perceived stress and low perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived stress level is high among Nigerian asthmatics. This study also suggests that the more stressed they are, the more they are likely to cope. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The relationship between perceived stress and other asthma measures like asthma control, symptoms and other coping strategies needs to be further explored DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Adesanmi Akinsulore, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Adenike Arawomo, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Olayemi Awopeju, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Gregory Erhabor, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by John Erhabor, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Abiodun Olakunde, source=Web Response