Knowledge and Perception of Asthmatic Patients and their Family towards Asthma Disease and Management in King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, KSA

Abstract

Background: Despite of the major effort to improve asthma management, there are still poor public knowledge and perception among patients with asthma and their family in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: Across sectional descriptive study was conducted last May 20, 2015 during World Asthma Day at Medical Tower ground floor in King Saud Medical City in Riyadh, Kingdom Saudi Arabia with more than 100 participants in the said activity from different area of Riyadh. Questionnaires were distributed to the participants after given asthma awareness by healthcare providers. Results: A total of 55 participants during Asthma day responded to the questionnaire, Majority are male (50.94%) and Saudi nationality (67.92%). After intervention and awareness given to the participants, most of them are aware that asthma is shortness of breath and coughing (87%) which considered being the major signs and symptoms of asthma. Furthermore they don't believe that abdominal pain causes asthma (25%). Participants are aware that most of the common risk factors of asthma is exposure to smoke (94%) followed by exposure to polluted air (91%). The knowledge and perception of the participants towards the medication needs to be used for asthma, most of them answered ventolin spray (77%) and followed by oxygen (72%). Conclusions: Different model of educational activity for bronchial asthma helps in improving the knowledge and awareness of patients and family about asthma disease.